Breaking Faith
by Feffervesce
Summary: After sparing the life of a member of the opposite faction, a deadly Blood Elf Horde soldier finds herself thrown into a conflict of a much larger scale. Alliances are worn thin, old rivalries are broken, and with tension building on both sides, Norivana ends up fighting for much different reasons than she'd expected. F Blood Elf OC / M Night Elf OC. First Fanfiction!
1. Recovery

**First fanfiction, rated T for safety. (Blood, gore, language, torture, etc. I'm doing my best to keep it at bay, though. Don't worry, there's nothing too graphic.)**

**I've played enough WoW to know what I'm talking about, but I'm not extremely keen on the lore. So, to those of you who are expecting perfection, I'm honestly sorry but this story will most definitely have flaws! I do my research, but I am not perfect - not to mention this is my first time trying anything like this. Bear with me, my friends. :)**

**Reviews are always welcome.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The stone room of the Horde base felt stuffy and packed as Norivana limped in from a tunnel that weaved south toward the Warsong Gulch battlefield. Even with the healing she had received during the fight, she was drained. Her rogue armor was caked in blood and her helmet was ruined. A large, clean cut ran across the left side of it, and she could still feel the ghost of where the blade had sliced clean across her cheek bone. A shaman comrade had done his best to fuse the skin back, but even so a large scar rested there. Had the blade been but an inch higher, she would no longer have sight in her left eye.

Grimacing at the thought, she tossed the helmet down to the side, and it clattered loudly into a pile of other ruined armor pieces. A few healers of various races were bustling about, bandaging a troll here and an orc there, and they took no heed of Norivana as she was much better off than the majority of the injured soldiers that littered the area.

The horde had just taken control of the gulch, having slaughtered all members of their opposing faction. There would be more to come, as always, but today, it was over. Today, Norivana could rest for the first time in a week.

She slumped down next to the wall, sitting with her back against it and her legs sprawled out on the stone floor. Her tangled auburn hair was stuck to her cheek with dried blood, and her ankle was throbbing relentlessly, no doubt broken. A quick glance confirmed this, as her usual slender leg was mottled and swollen, a deep red hue welling up in one area and a more purple in another. During the fight, the adrenaline must have kept her from collapsing, but now the pain was definitely setting in.

A light noise brought her attention to her right, and she glanced over to the mouth of the tunnel as a large, menacing feline padded in and slumped down where it was standing. It was a druid; the telltale tattooed markings on its hide gave that fact away, not to mention the large unmistakably Tauren horns that protruded from its forehead. The druid looked exhausted, and Norivana watched in awe out of the corner of her eye as the creature transformed back into its more bovine form.

Norivana couldn't hide the wonder that flitted across her face as the creature switched forms. It was like a mixture of magic and illusion; one moment, he was on all fours, and the next he'd fluidly transformed into something nearly twice the size he had been before. And, as he did this, the air around him seemed to contract, bending at the change in volume and then altering its nature by letting off a quick burst of pressure at the end of the transformation. It was a familiar sight, but Norivana was nonetheless awestruck every time. Druids had always fascinated her. Of course, all combat classes had their perks, but the idea of possessing the ability to transform into a deadly predator was intriguing.

She herself was a rogue, trained in the art of stealth and shadows. A subtle killer. Many would even consider her a cheat, a backstabber. And to be honest, she knew that was true. It was a lifestyle she'd grown into: trust no one, not even family. At the meager age of eleven, Norivana was already picking up combat skills with ease. Her father, a proud elven warrior himself, was convinced that skill like hers would be priceless to the Horde forces, and so, she'd been packed up and sent to the Undercity to train, to never again see her family or return to her old life in Silvermoon City. She'd be a part of the ongoing, ceaseless fight against the Alliance forces, just another soldier in the vast expanse of armies that had been commissioned to fight for the leaders of the Horde. She was young - and to most, much too young to be fighting in such gruesome battles. Not for the army commanders, though. No, definitely not. They accepted every able-bodied man and woman they could, even if it was a child. So, in the past ten years, Norivana had been raised a soldier, a warmonger.

As Norivana came out of her deep thoughts, she stared at the druid as he glanced up at a large canteen that had been handed to him, and he gave a grateful look to the undead woman who presented it. After taking two large swigs, he had enough energy now to stand, and after a moment, Norivana realized they'd been making eye contact for longer than she'd care to say.

The young-yet-experienced Tauren approached Norivana silently, kneeling down in front of her with one hand raised, drawing nearby energy to create a plasma-like swirl that whirled around his large furry fingers and continuously became larger. Small leaves and all sorts of botanical things seemed to grow out of the force, coming straight from the fingers of the creature.

Norivana took a breath as the healer then directed all his attention toward her, placing his palm straight onto her sternum and transferring the energy to her. If there was one good thing about receiving a heal, it was the initial "oomph" that came with it. Immediately as she felt the spell, she sat a little straighter, the pain in her ankle subsiding and her vision becoming crystal clear. Energy crackled through her nerves and out to her fingertips, and her heart itself seemed to become stronger, thudding at a slow, continuous, firm pace.

The Tauren let out a satisfied snort and stood, giving her a nod and sauntering off to help another wounded soldier. Norivana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, leaning her head back against the stone wall and relaxing. Now content, she let her eyes flutter shut, and after a moment she dozed off, finally taking a break from her work.

* * *

"'Vana, time to head out," a low, familiar gruff voice grunted, and Norivana shifted, opening her eyes to greet the speaker. It was the tauren Aitto, her comrade and friend who had been by her side since the day she had arrived in the Undercity. He was the only exception to her rule; she trusted him with her life, with her very soul. He too had been a young soldier, and the two had trained as children side-by-side from day one. When they initially met, they were both wide-eyed, panicky and shaken to their core. Their similarity in arrival immediately drew them to each other, and since then they'd been inseparable. They were two halves to a whole; he was her brother, her kin, closer than anything she would've had back at home with the elves. They fought together, bled together, survived together. Ten years gone, and here they were, still united in a bond of friendship and trust.

As she stood, Norivana took a look around, noting the sky had darkened and was now a rusty reddish haze, igniting the walls in a false flame through the uncovered roof. She arched her back, feeling the joints and vertebrae give a satisfying crackle, and bounced on her toes a few times before taking a deep breath and clearing her mind.

It was now time for cleanup: a small team would head back out to the battlefield to recover any lost gear, raid the enemy corpses' inventories, and salvage supplies. Norivana and Aitto had volunteered the job because it beat having to march back with the military caravan, rather they could just head back later with their own at a more leisurely pace. In a battle as small as Warsong, it only took a few people to finish the job, so only one other soldier stayed behind to work the salvage with them.

Norivana and Aitto and the third soldier, an older, rough-looking troll with chipped tusks and a hardened expression, made their way out to the middle of the valley. Most of the dead were scattered here, and the rest would be up in the Alliance base, a few cowardly stragglers who had chosen to hide out there rather than fight. There was always at least one of the more fainthearted souls in the battle, and surprisingly that sort of people were usually the last to go. Unfortunately for them, however, a fight like this generally left only the most conflicted and war-crazy soldiers alive, and thus the winning side would sometimes partake in a torturously slow kill. Being the last one living on the other side was the worst way to go; a clean blow to the vitals is preferable to torture.

They collected only the most valuable items, leaving the rest to other needy scavengers who would no doubt swoop in right after the team had left. Half an hour had passed by the time they reached the base, and they were quite ready to be done with it all. Sifting through the wreckage of bloodied bodies and shattered weapons was not a fun task, but they knew what they'd be getting into when they volunteered to do it.

She'd just gone out into the grassy hill beside the base and was almost finished searching the packs of a fallen Night Elf, whose silvery hair was caked with angry deep red blood, when a noise came from the creature, making Norivana's hair stand on end. The elf groaned, then pulled a shaky hand up a few inches and gripped his own torn tunic tightly. His face was scrunched in pain, and Norivana immediately stood and took a step back. The elf didn't move any further, however, and he just laid there, motionless and tense.

Knowing what she needed to do, Norivana unsheathed a sharpened, deadly blade and advanced toward the man, intending to give him a quick, easy death. She knelt down next to him in the grass, and as she held a blade to his exposed chest, she steeled herself. Killing an opponent who was intent on murdering you was one thing; killing a downed foe was entirely different.

_"Can it, Norivana. You're a rogue. This is what you do. You kill them while they're down. No questions asked."_ She had finally convinced herself, knowing full-well the consequences of letting an enemy survivor escape.

She raised the blade, pointed it dangerously toward the elf's heart, and plunged.


	2. Decisions, Decisions

As her blade whooshed through the air to make the kill, something stopped her. Physically, literally stopped her, as in something knocked her blade to the side. She had fought enough to recognize what it was: It appeared a magical shield had been cast on the unconscious elf.

_What the hell?! _

In a split second, Norivana was on her feet, eyes sweeping the area for whoever interrupted her killing blow. She was wary; if there was one surviving enemy, there could easily be more. To her surprise however, she saw Aitto, hand held out and the remnants of a spell drifting from his fingers. He had used his Paladin shield capabilities to protect the man. She stared at her comrade incredulously.

"What are you _doing_?" Norivana hissed, utterly and completely at a loss.

The war-beaten troll, who they now knew as Krazak'Zul, was also taken aback, glaring at Aitto with a mixture of confusion and betrayal.

"Dat be a nasty choice, takin' de he-elf's side. What'chu thinkin', doin' someting like dat, fool?!" the troll nearly spat the last bit. His Zandali accent was thick, and his voice was a coarse, throaty growl. If Norivana hadn't been so used to the Trolls' dialect, she'd have no idea what this man was saying.

Aitto silently gave them both a quick glance, impervious to their skeptical glares, and then knelt down next to the injured elf as he spoke. The elf shifted slightly, still unconscious.

"Don't kill him yet. He could prove useful. He may know when the Alliance forces plan to attack next." Aitto's voice sounded commanding and persuasive, though still somewhat calm and collected as he always was. He gave Norivana a reassuring look she recognized, a look she trusted completely. Though she was initially hesitant, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. She trusted him, and if this is what he thought was best, she'd respect that. She nodded quietly and took a step back as Aitto prepared a light healing spell.

The troll wasn't so easily swayed, however.

"And what if he don't know, Paladin? What ya plan tah do den?" He sneered, shifting forward and gripping his staff. Aitto stood immediately, towering over the troll, his impressive tauren's height setting himself taller - at least a foot, maybe two.

Krazak'Zul wasn't fazed by this, and he stood his ground, raising his Warlock's staff. Norivana sensed the air shift around them, the life of it seemingly draining away at the troll's actions. Through her own experience with warlocks, she realized what was about to happen, and thankfully so did Aitto. He quickly interrupted Krazak'Zul with a powerful silencing spell, effectively ending the troll's attempt to hex him.

Krazak'Zul was dazed, shaking his head and trying to keep his balance to no avail. He veered to the left, then to the right, and finally slumped down onto one knee to keep from continuing his disoriented dance.

"Do not test me, Warlock. I know what I am doing. I do not intend to forsake my allegiance to the Horde by mere curiosity. My actions hold purpose, and it would do you well to provide me with a little more respect." Aitto said this all quite calmly, though his body language showed otherwise. He was threateningly close to Krazak'Zul, one palm held out offensively toward the troll and the other clasping a gigantic mace that for anyone else would've definitely required the use of both hands to wield.

Norivana had almost completely forgotten she was still present; she'd been completely caught up in the excitement of things. When she came out of her little daze, she hopped over to Krazak'Zul and placed a firm hand on his shoulder to keep him from keeling over, and also to keep him in his place lest he try something again.

Aitto knelt down next to the Night Elf again, peering down at the gash on the elf's skull. It didn't look promising, but Norivana knew Aitto's abilities stretched far beyond most healers of the Horde.

Aitto was an impressive specimen; calm, collected, and surprisingly deadly. He held so much power, yet he wielded it with such grace and restraint that many of his foes, to their own demise, underestimated him. He was not arrogant with his skill, on the contrary, he held it as almost a curse of sorts. Norivana remembered one time as a child, he had confessed that he wished he was a poor warrior, so he could die in battle rather than continue to kill. However, his talents combined surpassed every other Paladin that Norivana had ever encountered. He maintained the ability to heal a soldier with one spell and then within seconds deliver a deadly blow to an enemy. He was, in the eyes of his superiors, the perfect soldier. A priceless ally. If anyone could heal this elf, it was Aitto.

Aitto summoned a healing spell, and he pressed his fingers to the elf's temples. Light shot from his hands, engulfing the unconscious man in a soft glow that wove through his essence, welding broken skin to skin, leaving nothing but pale scars in its wake. It stitched down his limbs to the tips of his toes and fingers, leaving nothing untouched. As the healing light finally receded from the elf, he gasped loudly, inhaling a single raspy breath and opening his glowing golden eyes, which cast reflections off of Aitto's plate armor.

The silver-haired elf took one single look at the massive figure of pitch black fur that was Aitto and snapped. A crazed half-feral growl escaped his throat, and within seconds, he had nimbly leapt to his feet and begun to run for the nearest exit. Aitto was prepared for this, and before the elf had made it more than two feet, he had been captured again by the brawny Tauren and held immobile.

Aitto quickly shouted for Norivana to restrain the elf by use of cords or ropes, or really anything they could get their hands on. Norivana had a roll of twine rope in her pack, and she removed it and went to work on the struggling elf. By now, he was letting out an angry stream of unintelligible threats that _sounded_ Darnassian, along with a few growls that sounded more feral than anything she'd ever heard come from a person.

She finished binding his hands and legs, which had proven quite a feat due to his thrashing and kicking and the occasional attempted bite.

Krazak'Zul had been watching from afar, skulking, pacing the ground now that he was recovered. When he saw that the elf had both been fully healed and detained, however, Norivana saw the wicked sneer reappear on his face and he waltzed over to them.

"So we be healing befo' the torture? Dat's de next-level o' cruel, Mon." he looked at Aitto impishly, a flash of curiosity - and for a second - awe, passing over his features for a moment, as if he believed his own words.

For a moment, Norivana thought she could see the Night Elf's eyes widen in shock after the Troll said this, which struck her strange. But first and foremost, this Troll needed dealt with.

This time Norivana stepped in.

"No. No torture. If he knows nothing, we kill him quickly. Painlessly. No one deserves such barbaric treatment as torture, _troll_." She said the last word with a grimace, belittling the Warlock as best she could. How could they get it through his thick skull that this elf was not to be touched?

The troll snorted indignantly and waved a hand at her, finally acknowledging her presence for the first legitimate time. "Tssh. I don't be bossed about by _children_, little elfie. Run along home; you don' belong hea'."

Norivana bristled and felt her blood boil. Yes, she was young. Immensely young for a blood elf - a mere twenty-one years of age - and though she was matured both mentally and physically, in their cultures she'd be considered a child. But she'd been abandoned by her so-called blood elf family, and with that abandonment went all the beliefs, customs, and traditions that followed the blood elves. And now, she was being profiled underneath the very thing she hated the most.

Seething, Norivana glared at the troll but didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. Anything she could say she'd probably regret later on. Ignoring him, she turned her attention to the night elf, who had paused his squirming and was staring at the two of them, confusion written across his face.

"Aitto, you know the Common tongue, right?" Norivana asked, having completely forgotten what they'd have to do _after_ they'd restrained their captive. She didn't know the language, and she knew Aitto didn't either. Neither of them had ever had the need for the language. This was the first time they'd done something like this.

Aitto froze for a second, his face scrunching up, and his green eyes furrowed. "No, and I forgot you don't either..." he trailed off, his eyes searching the ground as if it held an answer to their issues.

Krazak'Zul let out a loud guffaw, clapping his hands together. "Save da Elfie to interrogate it, and you don't know da tongue to do dat?! Now who be da stupid one?" He was almost doubled over, his off-grey and blue-streaked matted hair falling over his face.

Aitto and Norivana ignored him as best they could, and the night elf looked more terrified than ever at the sight of an enemy troll laughing itself to bits about something obviously regarding him.

"We can take him to Orgrimmar," Aitto mumbled, and Norivana nodded.

"That works. There are many there who speak Common. Not to mention we can just pass him off to higher-ranks and be rid of him. I don't like this responsibility. It makes me edgy."

Aitto agreed with a snort, and he pulled the petrified elf to his feet before loosing his grip. What happened next threw Norivana completely off.

The second Aitto loosened his grip on the Night Elf's bindings, the Night Elf wrenched himself forward, nearly pulling out of Aitto's grip completely. Once he'd gained a decent amount of space, the elf then let out a roar, which to Norivana's terror, became much more intense as the elf transformed into a sleek, pearly-white saber cat. She'd seen druids before, but this was a whole new level of shapeshifting. He was hands down the biggest, strangest looking cat she'd ever seen - at least the size of a full-grown tiger, if not larger. The transformation tore the twine like putty, and what lay crouched in front of them now was a whole four hundred pounds of lean, deadly, pissed-off feline.

Norivana, wide-eyed, ducked just in time as the cat leapt at her throat, claws shining like poisoned daggers. Aitto let out a shout at the sight of the druid attacking his companion, and he charged at the silvery creature, giant hammer at the ready. The cat crouched again, preparing for a counter-attack, but what Aitto did caught him off-guard.

Aitto let out a burst of lightning, complete with a deafening clap of thunder that resonated through the ground that literally knocked the feline off its feet and nearly unconscious. As he attempted to stand, dazed, the druid's golden eyes flickered a moment, and he had no choice but to shift back to his elvish form. After a failed moment of trying to regain his composure, he collapsed unconscious onto the ground again.

Norivana and Aitto stood there panting, and out of the corner of their eye Krazak'Zul let out a low whistle.

"Still want to take dat one back to Orgrimmar?" the troll asked tauntingly, and Norivana sent him a look of daggers.

"Now more than ever." she hissed back, and the troll gave her a glib grin. She turned away and walked over to the druid. "So, rope doesn't work. He'll shift. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Aitto asked, by now hoping for a miracle that would help them get this elf to Orgrimmar without incident.

"I could use my arcane torrent to prevent him from shifting again. It'll drain his mana. As long as we keep him away from drink for a while, we should be safe. He'll be nothing but a flower child without his juice."

Aitto gave her a look of gratitude and shook his head. "You're a gem, Norivana."

She gave him a smile, something she never offered to anyone but her brother-in-arms. Without hesitation, she placed her palm firmly on the unconscious elf's chest and unleashed the torrent, creating a vacuum around her that engulfed a large amount of the energy and mana from the druid. She waited a bit to regain her strength, then did it again, effectively removing all mana from the elf's pool.

"That'll be a nasty surprise to wake up to," she said, smacking her hands together, satisfied with her work.

* * *

The group managed to make it out of the gulch and into the woods just inside Ashenvale. They chose to take the wooded route as they'd be less-likely to encounter enemies or anyone who could pose a threat to their live cargo. Aitto had slung the elf over his broad shoulder, and they traveled south for nearly an hour before they decided to set up camp just off the road. It was dark out now, and traveling through the woods at night tended to attract all sorts of unwanted attention.

Aitto shuffled over to a large, broad tree and placed the elf at the base so that his back was resting against the trunk. He then wrapped a large, strong length of twine around the druid, tethering him to the tree, this time knowing that there was no way he'd break free.

Krazak'Zul watched from a distance, then approached Aitto after a moment.

"I don' see no reason tah be goin' through all dis trouble, Mon. I bet if ya tried hard enough, Elfie would speak any language ya want 'im tah speak. Pain can make eh man do tricksy tings..."

Aitto stiffened, his face finally letting annoyance flicker across its dark features. "What is it that's got you so intent on torturing the creature?" he inquired, shaking his head and stepping in between Krazak'Zul and the tied druid.

"Any _sensible _member of da Horde be putting his duties tah his cause at number one, Tauren," Krazak'Zul took a step back away from the Tauren, "Why ya so bothered by da idea of it? It be fasteh, easieh, not to mention a lot mo' _fun_." The Troll's eyes seemed to flicker at the thought, and he flashed a sickeningly wicked glance at the blue-skinned elf.

Aitto growled low in his chest. "You will not harm the Druid, be it by spell or by blade, lest you wish to suffer for it. Do I make myself clear, Warlock? We will leave such matters to the Warchief to decide upon."

Krazak'Zul's leering grin turned into more of a sneer, and then an angry scowl as he finally got the Paladin's point.

"Fine," he said simply, recognizing the fact that Aitto was stronger than him and taking a step back, slumping down next to a tree on a soft spot of blue-tinted grass.

While all this was happening, Norivana had been silently gathering wood for a small fire, and when she returned she saw Aitto lounged on the ground, tactfully having placed himself between the Warlock and the Druid. The Druid was still out cold, and it appeared the Warlock was sleeping. Aitto was awake, however, and he sat up when he saw her approaching.

"Never would've guessed we'd be in this situation at this time yesterday, huh?" Norivana smirked, and Aitto shook his head.

"With you, 'Vana, I really don't get surprised any more."

Norivana continued to smile slightly as she piled the wood and lit the tinder underneath. After a moment she had a healthy, young flame, which hungrily ate the twigs and branches she fed it until it had grown to an acceptable size. She leaned back on her heels and watched Aitto, who was deep in thought, staring at the dancing flames with intelligent eyes.

"Aitto," she began, and the jet-black Tauren raised a brow and met her gaze.

"Mm?"

"Why _did_ you save the elf? And don't say it's because you wanted to interrogate him. We've come across survivors before. You've never once done this."

Aitto let out a sigh, pondering for a moment silently. Just when Norivana thought he wasn't going to answer, he spoke up.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I surprised myself in placing that shield on him."

Norivana thought for a moment.

"So you didn't want to capture him for interrogation then?"

"No, I guess not. That was just my excuse. I guess..." he trailed off, and Norivana almost sensed shame in his voice.

"What is it, Aitto?" she asked, this time her voice soft and quiet, anxious even.

"I guess I just didn't want him to die."

Norivana pursed her lips. This actually wasn't as strange as it should've been. Aitto wasn't the sort of person to wish death upon someone in the first place. In fact, as a general rule, outside battlegrounds he was somewhat of a pacifist - a gentle giant. What struck her strange, however, was his plan to take the elf into Orgrimmar. Why save someone's life just to throw them to the wolves?

"And yet you're taking him to Garrosh Hellscream? Isn't that a fate worse than death itself? You know of his outlook on the Alliance, Aitto. Not to mention he's the _leader_ of the Warsong clan, the very same faction we're opposing just by letting this elf live."

Aitto gave her a pained expression, and she immediately wanted to drop the subject. This was, for some reason, seriously affecting her friend. She scooted around the fire next to him, feeling like an ant compared to him. Placing her head on his elbow, as that was the nearest to her height, she tried to comfort him.

"We could come up with something else to do, Aitto. What if we just let him go? That might actually work. Hellscream never has to know. For all he knows, every single Alliance soldier was killed there."

He gave her an appreciative nudge with his arm, snorting once before speaking. "I honestly don't know what's come over me. I guess I'm just done. Seeing that man lying there, completely at the mercy of you and me, fated to die for no reason other than pure, utter _racism_.. That is what all this is. And I am done. I just cannot stand the thought of... of killing one more..."

As if on cue, the Night Elf behind them stirred, and Norivana turned around to see that he wasn't struggling at all against his bindings. Which was smart; there was no way he'd get out of those. The knot in the back was tied in a way that he couldn't possible maneuver his way out of. And even stranger: his eyes were wide open, staring through the darkness straight at her. The hair on her neck bristled at first, the sight a little too eerie for her liking. It was as if he were trying to read her. His eyes shifted to Aitto, who hadn't turned.

At that moment Norivana decided she'd had enough weird for one night. This was stressful, and if she wanted to be able to deal with it in the morning, sleep was the best medicine.

"I'm going to sleep, Aitto. We will figure something out at first light."

Aitto nodded and turned his head down to hers, pressing his forehead against her skull in an affectionate gesture. She rolled out her bedroll and placed it near the fire, and fell asleep to the comforting warm crackle of the burning wood.

* * *

An agonizing, gut-wrenching shout of a man in pain ripped through Norivana's consciousness and she whipped her eyes open, sitting up straight and searching wildly in the direction of the sound. Morning light was barely peeking through the forest canopy, and her eyes were having issues adjusting to the surroundings. She stood up, glancing around frantically, but saw nothing.

Another scream.

It was then that she discovered Krazak'Zul was missing.

And so was the elf.

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**So I spent all day planning this with my sister. We've got nearly the whole story laid out. Looks like we're in for the long haul, friends! :)**

**Also, thank you for the reviews. Much love!**


	3. Lucian

**Alright, I just typed this in the past hour. I did my best not to make mistakes and I read through it once, but if you notice something confusing, I'll hopefully have it fixed by the end of the day tomorrow. **

******Thanks everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following. Your support helps me write!**

* * *

_Oh, gods._

"Aitto! Aitto, get up, quickly!" she shouted, and as the Tauren stirred, Norivana took off sprinting faster than she thought possible, whipping through brush and trees and following the sounds that were traveling through the still, hazy morning mist.

Another blood-chilling screech. She quickened her stride, knowing now full-well that this was the Night Elf. And he was definitely, assuredly in pain.

After mere seconds, she came upon a small clearing, where the trees still provided shelter overhead but the ground was free of underbrush. At first glance, she saw nothing but darkness, but after an instant her eyes rested on a horrid sight.

Krazak'Zul was strolling a wide circle around a slumped figure, twirling a bloodied blade through his fingers.

At a second glance, Norivana realized the figure was the elf. He was completely limp, held upright only due to his arms being tied up to low branches. His black filigreed tunic had been pulled back and ripped so that his chest was bare, and Norivana saw multiple deep, angry, bleeding cuts littering his hazy blue skin. An excessive amount of blood had trickled down his stomach and soaked into his trousers, making it appear he had a blood-red belt around his waist. He was panting in shallow, ragged breaths, his bloodied chest rising only slightly with each one. His head was drooping down toward the ground, and Norivana couldn't see his face.

Krazak'Zul's voice cut through the morning air; he was too preoccupied with his object of torture to notice Norivana behind him.

"All right, Elfie. Let's try dis again, shall we?" he said smugly, adjusting the dagger in his hand and bringing it up to the sensitive skin under the Night Elf's right arm. Without further warning, he suddenly jammed the blade into the elf's side, breaking through skin, then dragged it downward, cutting a clean, deep line down his rib cage. The elf's entire body twitched at the assault and he lifted his head to face the sky, eyes screwed shut and teeth clenched in an expression of pure agony. An tormented growl ripped itself from the elf's throat, but he just hung there, frozen in pain and unable to defend himself.

Norivana's stomach lurched, and she immediately switched into action. Stealthing and blending in with her surroundings, she swiftly snuck up behind the troll in just a few broad strides. To kill him would be too drastic; gods only know what would become of her if it was discovered she had not only defended the enemy but killed an ally in the process. _Ally_... the word grew thin when applied to this troll, however she wouldn't kill him. But she could definitely incapacitate him.

She reached out with the blunt of her blade and slammed it against the troll's temple with tremendous force, successfully bashing him to the ground right as Aitto burst through the bushes into the clearing. Aitto's wide eyes fell on Krazak'Zul.

Krazak'Zul let out an irate screech, attempting to jump to his feet to fight back, but this time Norivana sent out a powerful kick to the back of the troll's head, which knocked him completely unconscious.

"Norivana?" Aitto called warily, obviously confused as to what had happened and why she had just assaulted the troll. He didn't object, really, as the troll was definitely set lower than vermin on his scale, but he was nevertheless perplexed. He then saw the elf, and he froze, staring at the bloodied, torn creature in front of him.

Norivana swept past the unconscious troll and beckoned Aitto over.

"Quickly, he needs help," she said, motioning toward the elf who was now wheezing short breaths, just on the brink of death. On the ground beneath him, Norivana saw a thick pool of blood staining the grass and dirt. He had lost a _lot_ of blood.

Without question, Aitto gathered a spell to his palms and transferred it into the elf's chest, pressing his gigantic hands onto the blue bloodied torso. Within seconds of the heal, the elf took in a deep breath, opening his eyes wide and staring at Aitto and Norivana, golden gaze shifting back and forth between the two. He didn't even bother to move or try to escape his bonds, rather he just sat there, drained and exhausted, a look of gratitude washing over his face.

Aitto inspected the Night Elf's wounds. Most of them had sewn themselves back together, leaving nothing but thin pale scars. Others, the more serious cuts, had healed to scabs and would be fine in a week or so. Some of the blood he had lost actually managed to return to his body, thanks to the healing spell, and he had already gained a little more warmth to his skin.

Norivana took it upon herself to loosen the bindings around the elf's wrists, and Aitto followed her lead. At this point, all she wanted to do was set the poor thing free. This had all been a bad idea, and even though Norivana had witnessed and performed countless killings herself, for some reason this particular situation was worse somehow. Maybe it was from what Aitto said, or maybe it was something else. Whatever the reason, she was ready to be rid of it all.

"I want to let him go," Norivana mumbled quietly as she fiddled with the twine that was tied much too tightly around the elf's wrists. "He didn't deserve this."

The elf's eyes widened, and he stared at her incredulously. Norivana stopped what she was doing and looked him straight in the eyes. They seemed to flicker apprehensively at her gaze. This time she was sure something was going on. His reactions to their words were no coincidence. He understood them, she had no doubt about it.

"Can you understand me?" she questioned him accusingly, and he inhaled a sharp breath. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out for a second. Then, hesitantly, he replied.

"Y-yes..." was all he could say. His voice was deep, rich and guarded, and he watched her with both intrigue and caution.

Norivana wasn't sure why she was so surprised, though part of her hadn't expected her accusation to be correct. So when he did speak, Norivana gasped slightly and took a step

back, mouth agape and eyes wide. Aitto also paused, raising his brows and giving Norivana a sideways glance before addressing the elf, astonished.

"You speak Orcish, elf?" Aitto questioned, looking utterly fascinated by the idea.

The elf repeated himself, "Yes."

Norivana exchanged a glance with Aitto, then questioned, "Can you say anything else?"

The elf's lips twitched and he replied simply, "Yes."

Norivana cocked her head at him and nearly let a smile break her intense gaze. "Such glibness is unexpected coming from a captive."

The elf's eyes stared down at her again and he just stood there, unspeaking. He had placed his feet back onto the ground now, and Aitto was almost finished with the first rope before he got fed up with the whole thing and pulled out a knife. The elf flinched away at the sight of it, and Aitto quickly cut in.

"Don't worry, I'm just cutting the rope."

The elf relaxed slightly but watched warily as Aitto raised the blade up and sliced through the twine. His arm fell down to his side and he rolled his shoulder back, relishing the freedom he now had along with the absence of the pain he'd endured that morning.

Once both arms were cut down, it proved much easier to cut the rope off of his wrists, and after Aitto had completed the task he took a step away from the elf, expecting him to take off running. But he didn't, and for a moment he stood motionless, studying the two hesitantly.

This was the first time Norivana had seen him standing at full height, not crouched or fleeing for his life, and she was surprised to see that he was taller than she had expected. Much taller than the elves of her race; she probably only stood up to his shoulder, at best. He was like a blue skinned, snowy-headed giant. His voice finally cut in, breaking her intense study of his appearance.

"Thank you," his tone was sincere, and his eyes matched it, regarding both of them with appreciation. Norivana was surprised at how lucid his speech was; there was no accent, nothing.

The elf's eyes flicked down to the unconscious troll that lay sprawled out on the ground, then at the bloodied area where he had been tied up. A look of disgust flitted across his features before it was replaced with worry, and he intuitively took a step away from the three Horde soldiers.

Aitto gave him a supportive nod, and Norivana watched him as he slowly backed away from them, as if he were unsure whether he could leave or if this was a trick.

"You're free to go, elf," Norivana said softly, reassuring him as best she could.

He paused and gave her an intense look. "Lucian."

"What?" She asked, caught off-guard.

"My name is Lucian Silverpaw. And I thank you, both of you. Although I haven't the slightest understanding of why you're doing this, I am forever in your debt. If there is anything I can do, anything at all, do not hesitate-"

"Lucian Silverpaw, the best thing you can do is return to your homeland and do not seek us out. Forget us," Aitto's voice cut in, pulling Norivana out of her trance. She'd been enthralled by Lucian's sudden onslaught of words, holding on to every single one. She'd never heard a Night Elf speak Orcish, and his voice was strange, as if it held an unspoken power behind it, as if he were speaking with more than just words. His words seemed to wake up the forest, a small breeze seemingly picking up as he spoke.

Norivana shivered slightly. She wasn't sure if all elves of his race had this effect on their surroundings, or just him.

Lucian turned to go, and as he did so, Krazak'Zul stirred on the ground. Norivana shot Aitto a panicked glance. She hadn't prepared herself yet for the reaction of the troll she had knocked unconscious.

Krazak'Zul sat up suddenly, gripping his staff and looking about wildly, half-crazed. He stood, and as he did so Norivana and Aitto retreated a few steps, giving the troll some space. Fortunately, Lucian stepped out of sight just as Krazak'Zul whirled around and inspected the area, searching for his former captive. When he saw nothing, he turned toward Norivana slowly, seething, eyes glowing red with rage.

"You. Will. Regret. This." he pronounced each word clearly, taking extra care to try to intimidate by losing his Zandali accent as best as he could.

Honestly, for Norivana, it was sort of working. She took another step back cautiously, now at least ten feet away from the enraged troll. Aitto, however, bristled and took a step forward, gripping the massive hammer he wielded.

"If you value your well-being, you will not speak of this to _anyone_, Troll. What you did to that elf was dishonorable and cowardly. If Thrall got wind of what you've done, gods only know what he would have-"

The troll interrupted. "No no, ya see, Thrall's gone. Or did'ja forget already? Garrosh is yer new warchief now, and he definitely don't mind us torturing dem Alliance pests. In fact," he sneered at Aitto, puffing out his chest, "he'll reward me for doin' someting like dat."

Aitto fumed but didn't reply for a moment. Krazak'Zul had a point. Almost out of ideas of how to keep the troll's mouth shut on the incident, Aitto advanced toward him quickly, donning his most murderous expression and bellowing out in a powerful voice, "Go ahead. Run to your chief and prattle like the school girl you are. Just know that we will be waiting for you, and we will not show you the kindness we showed the elf. You think what you were performing is torture? That is _nothing_ compared to the treatment you'll receive if you dare jeopardize Norivana's or my safety. We did what we did because you were out of line. This is your fault, and if anyone is to take the blame, it shall be you. Do you understand me?" Aitto shifted his hammer, which was nearly half the size of the troll, waving it dangerously near him.

Krazak'Zul's smile faltered and then disappeared completely as Aitto spoke, and he shrunk away from Aitto's piercing glare.

He held up his arms. "Okay, okay, chill. Ya win, I yield. I don't fancy bein' pounded into mystery meat, so I'll keep me mouth shut. Happy?"

Aitto snorted derisively at the troll, then turned his back to him and faced Norivana, giving her a look that she read as, 'Holy shit that worked!'.

She kept a straight face but felt both entertained and relieved. This was over. They could go back to Orgrimmar and forget about the whole thing, like it never happened. She stretched her limbs.

"Let's get going," she yawned, noticing the morning sun was peeking through the canopy leaves of the Ashenvale trees, "I'd like to get to Orgrimmar by noon.

Aitto and Norivana took the lead, while Krazak'Zul shuffled behind them, sulking all the way back through the woods and along the time-worn path that led to the bustling City.

* * *

It had been a week after they had arrived back at the city, and Norivana and Aitto had returned to the barracks, glad to be rid of Krazak'Zul's company and to be rid of the stress of the Night Elf.

For her first few nights back, Norivana couldn't sleep well, and instead she would lie awake in bed pondering what had happened. It had all been so unexpected; finding the elf, saving him, letting him go. In all her time as a soldier, she never would have guessed she would do something like that. She had been trained to kill first, ask questions later. That rule had proven simple until this Lucian Silverpaw fellow. The fact that he spoke their language, that he understood them, was a deal-breaker for her. And, still after having been brought to the brink of death by her kind multiple times, he managed to give her such a high level of respect that the concept of killing him felt wrong and immoral.

This made her question everything. Until then, she'd viewed the Alliance armies as arrogant, illiterate, stubborn fools. She hadn't thought to put a personality to a face, because doing so would make killing them impossible. And now she couldn't help it. She knew it'd never be the same, and that each time she was sent out to battle she wouldn't have the willpower to deliver the killing blow she needed to. All because of this Lucian.

And even more surprising was the longing she felt to see him again. Or if that was too much, she longed at least to hear him speak. His voice was so powerful, and she had no doubt that it was somehow related to his skill as a druid. There was something ancient about him, something she ached to uncover. He clearly wasn't the average Joe of his kind.

She also worried about Krazak'Zul's threats to report them to Garrosh. If Garrosh ever discovered what happened, that would be a one-way ticket to death's door. She was fairly positive that Aitto had scared the piss out of the troll, but nevertheless he was a shifty character, and she prayed to every god she knew that the troll would keep his word.

One morning, when Norivana and Aitto had gone to the mess hall to get their breakfast, the unthinkable happened.

A withered, frail-looking forsaken man decked out in all sorts of royal-looking garments and pins made his way up to the front of the hall, followed by at least ten royal guards. He straightened up, then shouted out over the multitude of soldiers who sat at the tables to quiet down. After a moment it was almost silent, and he continued a simple message.

"Chieftain Garrosh Hellscream has requested the appearance of Aitto Thunderhoof and Norivana Sunstepper immediately. If the two of you are here, I suggest you follow me. Thank you."

Norivana blanched and looked at Aitto, who if not for his pitch black hair covering his skin, would've been ten shades lighter as well. A few soldiers around them looked at the two expectantly, waiting for them to follow orders. It wasn't every day the warchief requested a simple soldier's presence, and for all the other soldiers knew, this was a chance of a lifetime.

Aitto and Norivana feared the worst, though. There's only one reason Garrosh would summon them by name: he knew. He found out, somehow, in some way, and Norivana had no doubt it had to be the troll's doing. She searched the hall for him as she reluctantly stood to leave, and to her dismay he wasn't there. Most likely, he was with the chief.

As she and Aitto meandered to the front of the hall to make their way out, she heard Aitto swearing under his breath. This wasn't just something where they'd get a scolding, a smack on the back of the hand or a time-out. This was serious. If this encounter went as they expected it to, they would be dead before morning.

The two of them, now surrounded by royal guards of the city, had no choice but to make their way toward their inevitable death sentence.

* * *

**Another cliffhanger! Sorry guys, I can't help myself. **

**Questions? Opinions? Cake? All are welcome here. ;)**


	4. Sentenced

It wasn't too long of a walk to Grommash Hold, and Aitto and Norivana reluctantly shuffled inside, followed by the group of guards that gave them no chance of escape. The guards took their weapons, wincing as they attempted to lift the gigantic mace Aitto had been holding.

Both of them were silently praying that there was another reason that Garrosh had summoned them, but deep down they knew that wouldn't be the case. They were in for it now. No escaping.

As they entered the round room, filled with various advisors, trainers, emissaries and guards, the sight Norivana saw made her heart sink. Krazak'Zul was standing to the side of the room, a nasty grin plastered on his face. Now she knew for sure: they were dead. It was over.

Aitto glanced over to the right and saw his former trainer, Master Pyreanor, who regarded him with a troubled expression. Aitto had been his best student, a strong combatant with, to quote what Pyreanor had said, "An iron will and an unfaltering resolve".

Aitto hung his head a little lower, furrowing his brow and grimacing. He had expected to feel a lot of things when he approached the Orcish Warchief, but none of them guilt. His instructor's disappointed gaze still held an effect on the Paladin, and Norivana placed a hand on Aitto's arm in an attempt to comfort him.

They approached the Warchief, a massive creature at least twice the height of Norivana. The guards behind them wrenched Aitto and Norivana to their knees, hands pressed firmly on their shoulders. His beady yellow eyes burned down as he stared at the two sullen characters, and for a moment the only sound to be heard was the crackle of the fire torches.

Then, his growling, booming voice ripped throughout the building, seeming to echo off walls and pierce the calm.

"So these are the traitors," he began, a snarl ripping at his words as he spoke, and he looked to Krazak'Zul for confirmation. Krazak'Zul nodded once, and the Warchief returned his glare to his captives.

"I keep but one strict rule, soldiers. One rule: You will serve the horde, or be crushed beneath it! We tolerate no weakness; only the strong may survive here. In your case," the orc glared down at the two, pausing a moment, "mercy is your weakness."

Norivana opened her mouth to retort but Aitto nudged her with his arm to remind her to remain silent. The orc continued, now speaking to everyone in the room, "There is but one thing to do with these traitors. We shall persecute them as we do our enemies. I hereby sentence you, Norivana Sunstepper and Aitto Thunderhoof, to death."

With that, he gave one guard a nod and took a step back, folding his massive arms over his chest and peering down over his nose at Norivana and Aitto. The guard quickly let out a sharp whistle, and the other soldiers formed a tight circle around the two. Norivana stood instinctively, back facing Aitto as he stood as well. She held up her arms defensively. Yeah, they had just been sentenced to die, but they wouldn't go down without a fight.

Norivana still had the ability to stealth, to bend the shadows to her will, and she utilized that skill by swooping down low to the ground and becoming invisible to every guard that surrounded them. As she did this, Aitto blasted out a field of holy force, a burst of light that knocked every guard around them at least three steps back.

Norivana dropped behind a guard and then broke her stealth right as she grabbed the guard's head, using as much force as possible to wrench it to the side in an attempt to break his neck. Surprisingly, she succeeded, but as she stepped away from the falling body, she felt a razor-sharp pain graze across her entire back, right along the spine. She shrieked, whipping around to face her attacker, and she realized she was face-to-face with Hellscream himself, holding a massive knife in his hand that dripped with her blood.

Norivana tried to advance toward him but faltered, dropping to her knees and placing a hand on her lower back in pain. The noise around her was becoming muffled, her vision darkening, and she knew she was losing blood extremely fast. She heard Aitto's muffled yell, felt a surge of heat down her spine that was no doubt a result of one of Aitto's healing spells. It was too late, however, and the last thing she witnessed before she collapsed was Aitto being overwhelmed by countless guards, who knocked him over the head with the blunt of a blade, and they both fell unconscious, sprawled across the floor.

* * *

Norivana opened her eyes and she was somehow already standing on a scaffolding, staring into familiar green eyes that were etched in terror. _Aitto_. He was on his knees, hands tied behinds his back, body slumped forward. A gigantic executioner stood to the side of him, and he raised an intimidating, razor-sharp ax high above Aitto's head. It was only now that Norivana realized what was happening.

"Aitto!" she shrieked, her voice breaking. She tried to run to him, to reach him before it was too late, but to her horror her arms and legs were bound, held firmly in place by shackles attached to a strong post on the side of the scaffold. The executioner brought the blade down, and Norivana lurched forward, adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins.

"_NO_!" her voice was drowned out by the sickening chop of the blade against Aitto's neck. Norivana let out a bloodcurdling scream, wrenching her eyes shut, the vision of Aitto's horrified expression going slack as the blade sliced the life from his body. She heard a thump as his head hit the ground and his body followed, and she couldn't stop the screams that escaped her throat as everything went numb. She couldn't hear, couldn't see anything but red.

She leaned forward, fighting the manacles that were seemingly welded around her wrists and ankles. The hot tears that streamed down her face went unnoticed by her; all she could do was scream. She went slack, falling onto the ground, her arms hanging above her head by the cuffs that bound them.

"No! No, no no no! Aitto! This can't be!" She was hysterical, breathing in quick gasps and letting distraught sobs break through every other word. "Aitto, no..." She kept her eyes shut, not letting herself look at the sight she knew would meet her if she did.

A sickeningly familiar voice faded in and made her hair stand on end, and when she finally opened her puffy sobbing eyes she saw she was somehow back in Ashenvale, near the southern outpost that led into the barrens. She was still tied to a post, but not where she thought she was. Behind her was a massive tree stump that was at least twice her height.

She heard the voice again.

"Ah, dat touched a nerve little elfie. So it's yer furry friend ya value de most. Good ta know."

Eyes scanning the area, she finally found the source. Krazak'Zul walked into view, twirling his staff and then leaning on it, giving her a smug look. About six or seven other trolls and orcs were there as well, and it looked like they were all warlocks as well. A few of them seemed occupied with something she couldn't see, but after they shot a characteristic curse at it, her heart both leapt and cringed at the sound that followed.

A familiar low, tormented growl ripped through the air, and Norivana's eyes widened.

"Aitto?" she squeaked, forgetting everything else. He had just died. She'd seen it with her own two eyes. She'd watched the life leave his eyes, heard his body hit the ground. So how was he here, alive, in Ashenvale?

"Aitto?!" she repeated, this time a yell, and she heard him shout her name in return.

"Norivana! You're alive?" his voice was shaky, and before Norivana could reply, Krazak'Zul had shot a curse at her, silencing her and causing her skull to feel as if it were burning from the inside out.

She let out a scream, falling limp again and trying to rid her nerves of the pain that fried her thoughts. The troll spoke up again.

"This curse be one of my favorites, right after the one I gave ya earlier. Nasty curse, dat one. Puts ya in yer worst nightmares, den ya forget it ever happened. Drains yer life force, weakens de soul. Used it on you three times now; I'm surprised you be awake at all still. You be stronger dan I thought. I can fix dat."

As the pain subsided in her head, she felt a new onslaught of agony, her whole body erupting in indescribable pain. It was one of the worst feelings Norivana had ever experienced, so horrible she couldn't even make a sound, just sat there, body rigid and immobile. It was as if every bone was broken in every location, as if her skin were peeling itself from her body, as if she were both burning alive and drowning at the same time. She had felt Warlock curses before, but never anything like this. Maybe it was because she had never been attacked by someone of her own faction, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she'd do anything, anything at all, to end it.

When the pain let up just enough for her to speak, she opened her mouth and growled out in a hysterical shriek, "JUST KILL ME!"

The troll laughed wickedly. "Dat be too easy, and da Warchief has strict orders dat we do dis, Elfie."

A few warlocks stood back to watch, intrigued by Krazak'Zul's choice of torture. First it was a physical attack, draining her energy and making her more vulnerable, then he would attack her mind, pulling out her deepest fears and making them real. She would experience each and every one, each time the experiences ebbing away at her essence more and more. She wouldn't hold up much longer.

The other warlocks took the idea and began to use it on Aitto as well, but they weren't as good as Krazak'Zul, and all they could manage was to flash horrible images into his mind once in a while. They mostly stuck to physical pain, igniting his nerves in flame and then assaulting him with ghostly attacks, tearing at his mind and flesh from every direction.

Norivana had no idea how long this went on. The amount of times she'd witnessed Aitto's death, the amount of times she'd been forced to relive the sickening chop of the axe, each time believing it was real, and each time feeling the horror and grief of losing her kinsman. And in between bouts, the Warlock would bring her almost to the point of death, literally draining the life force from her body.

After what felt like hours - or days maybe, or even years - Norivana hadn't the slightest of which it was, the Troll grew bored and resolved to put an end to it, and he beckoned the other warlocks away, sending them down the road back to Orgrimmar. He pulled out a knife and yanked Norivana's arms out to him, shoving the manacles to the side in order to expose her wrists. He glared into her eyes, which were half-shut and pained.

"Now, how important did ya say dat elf's life was? Worth yer own life? It appears I win. Goodbye, traitor."

With that, he made a quick, clean cut across both of her wrists, and had she not been so utterly drained she would have reacted with a lot more strength. In this case, however, she was unable to do anything but let out a quiet groan, letting her arms fall limp and accepting her imminent death. At least it was over. In fifteen minutes, she'd be dead. She closed her eyes resignedly. No more torture.

Krazak'Zul then walked around the large tree stump to where she assumed Aitto was and must have given him the same treatment. Business taken care of, the troll took off down the road in a light stroll, whistling a soft tune as he twirled his staff through his fingers.

Norivana could feel the hot blood trickling from her wrists, dripping into the cool grass she sat in.

"Aitto, I'm so sorry," It was barely more than a whisper, carried away in the light breeze. Aitto didn't reply. Norivana hoped he was already unconscious. Better to fall asleep early than to wait it out. Her eyes drooped, the blood loss becoming overwhelming. She felt cold, sickly, and feverish, but compared to what she had just endured, it was an easy end.

Eyes finally closing, Norivana listened to the forest, to the soft bird songs that carried through the canopy and the rustling of the leaves and the grass. It was oddly serene, dying in this place. She could hear a faint trickle of a stream a ways off, and the cool breeze that blew through the trees carried the scent of lilacs and rain.

Taking a deep breath, she drifted off, accepting her fate and leaving herself in the hands of her gods.

* * *

**Sorry for the shorter chapter. We'll see a lot of the NE/BE next chapter, I promise! And I'll try to have it up soon. Dialogue takes a while to get to flow properly.**


	5. Discovered

**Thank you all for your reviews. They're kindling to the flame, my friends! And to all my readers who've followed and favorited or just read the story, I thank you as well; you're all wonderful!**

**This chapter is slower-paced than all the others. They'll pick up with the action again, I promise!**

* * *

The soft chirp of crickets and the subtle rustle of leaves flooded Norivana's senses. She felt disoriented, her mind going completely blank. Her body felt weightless, numb even.

_Am I dead?_

She slowly, hesitantly opened her eyes, and at first she saw nothing, just darkness. When her eyes adjusted, she realized she was in a small room accented with moonlight that shone through a glassless window in the far end. She was lying in a large, comfortable, heavily-blanketed bed that could easily suit someone four times her size. The blankets were of a deep blue sheen satin, soft to the touch and light as a feather, yet still quite warm. They were embellished with gold thread, depicting vines and flowers along the edges. And, oddly enough, she felt completely at peace.

_Yes, I'm definitely dead._

She smoothed her hands over the fabric, and it felt almost like running a hand through a stream. It rippled almost unnaturally before it settled back down. She sat up fully, now awake and intrigued. Where was she? How did she get here?

An image flashed through her mind. Then another. She vaguely began to remember bits and pieces, each bit explaining her predicament a little further. She opened her mouth and stifled a gasp, finally remembering what happened...

* * *

_She remembered muffled voices filling the air and growing louder, and was barely able to pry her own eyes open. She had been untied from the shackled post and was now lying in the road next to a very limp and unmoving Aitto. Moaning, she let out a sigh and tried to move, but her limbs wouldn't cooperate, and she ended up having to stay lying down limply in the road. She felt depleted, weary, and exhausted. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and she wondered how she was still alive. If this was another one of Krazak'Zul's torture regimens, she had no idea how she'd survive it this time. This felt more real than any of the others, not to mention it wasn't exactly his style. To be honest, it couldn't be his style, really. No, this was different. It felt too civil, too benign to be torture. And if it was, Krazak'Zul was getting sloppy._

_It wasn't until then that Norivana noticed she had company. Her eyes focused on a sight that surprised her. A group of green-and-blue-haired Night Elves were standing around them,__ dressed in combat armor, light and sturdy, and Norivana decided they were probably a scouting party._ They watched her, half-guarded and half-intrigued. It isn't every day one finds a tortured and left-for-dead Horde soldier, let alone two. 

_A female elf with hair of a deep shade of lavender came into view and spoke up louder than the others, and they quieted, seemingly giving her a little more respect than they did each other. Maybe she was their leader. Her words sounded Darnassian, which was a language so close to Thalassian that Norivana was able to work out a few words. She picked up the words "ease" and "suffer", and the elves nodded somberly at the lavender-haired elf's orders, taking a small step back and giving her some space. _

_The she-elf leaned down to Norivana, a grave expression on her face. She muttered something that sounded almost like a prayer or a chant, staring into Norivana's eyes. Then, surprisingly, she began to speak in Thalassian. _

_"May the devil who did this to you receive a thousand curses upon him. Rest, young Blood Elf, and taste serenity in what lies beyond this life. You may sleep now."_

_Norivana stared back at the elf, and after a second she realized she'd been crying. She felt a cool tear fall down the side of her face and into her hair, though she had no idea why. Her eyes flicked to Aitto, who looked like a crumpled black mass of fur. _

_She felt panic rising in her chest. Aitto couldn't die! Not for real! She'd witnessed his death too much, and now it seemed she was going to again. Gathering up as much strength as she could, she finally mustered enough to raise her arm just enough to shift it to Aitto, placing a hand on his furry arm and grasping it tightly. She felt a sob rise in her chest and let it flow, a soft plea of sadness carrying itself from her lips._

_"Aitto, don't leave me."_

_In an unfocused corner of her eye, a flash of white appeared and joined the crowd of elves, and as much as Norivana tried to focus on it, she couldn't. Her eyes were just too tired. _

_Suddenly a commanding voice rolled through the atmosphere, calming and resonant. The lavender-haired elf turned, her face surprised but almost affectionate. Norivana craned her neck as best she could, the action draining her and nearly causing her to pass out right then and there. _

_Her eyes rested on a massive silvery-white-haired elf, who appeared out of the crowd, drawing closer and then kneeling down next to Norivana, brow furrowed and lips turned down in a frown. He muttered something to the elf woman. His low voice rumbled in Norivana's ears, and surprisingly the sound of it steadied her nerves and caused her to relax slightly, the grip on Aitto's arm relenting a little._

_"I know this girl," the large elf said, which Norivana was able to roughly understand, and she inhaled sharply, recognizing him now that his face was in focus. Holy hell, he was larger than she remembered. Either she hadn't been paying enough attention or this elf had grown two feet in the past week. Even so, she should've known him sooner. Lucian. _

_"Lucian?" she groaned, her lungs raspy and body shivering and cold. _

_Lucian's eyes tensed slightly, worried, and he said something quickly to the other elf right before straightening up, cracking his knuckles, and setting to work on summoning a spell. _

_Norivana had never seen anything like it. It might've just been her mind, hallucinating in its final moments, or it may have been real. She wasn't sure. Lucian muttered a few words under his breath in an almost prayer, which immediately set his world to life. His spell seemed to draw not only from himself, but from the earth and the trees and the air around him. Green grass, various flowers and freshly fallen leaves raised up from the ground, and large boughs and branches of trees bent inward toward him. The air around him swirled into his palms, whirling into powerful masses of energy. His hands were gradually gathering large orbs of cool-yet-unstable effervescent green light, which seemed almost volatile and if not for the willful grip he held on them, they would have exploded in a powerful shock. _

_He bent down to Norivana and she cringed away - or at least tried to, if not for her weaker disposition - from his hands, her eyes widening in fear. He gave her a reassuring glance, and without further warning, transferred the energy straight through her chest and into her faintly-beating heart. _

_She stiffened, the jolt feeling as if she'd just stepped through an electric field. Her heart sped up, beating almost erratically, and her muscles fired up with adrenaline. Her back arched, and for a moment she couldn't breathe, couldn't do anything but focus on the almost unbearably intense heat running through her body. It wasn't heat like the curses she'd experienced, though. No, it felt different, as if it were bringing her from the brink of death and rejuvenating her senses. _

_Then, it hit her. He was healing her. It was the most powerful, most intense heal she had ever received, and it was working. Fast. _

_Although the spell worked like a charm, Norivana was completely exhausted, and despite her best efforts, the last thing she managed to do was say a few last words before drifting off._

_"He needs it more than me," she began, looking at Aitto and then back at Lucian, her eyes pleading, "Please, help him."_

_Lucian's eyes saddened slightly and he hesitantly nodded, gathering a spell the same way he had before and applying it to Aitto. The tauren stirred a little, but other than that nothing happened. That was enough for Norivana, though. At least he was alive. _

_She closed her eyes then, falling into a dreamless sleep._

* * *

"I see you're feeling better, Norivana" a low, soft voice carried through the moonlit room, pulling Norivana out of her trip down memory lane. She sat up, leaning her back against the wall behind her, legs still covered by the satin blankets. She followed the direction of the voice, tensing, but then relaxed a little when she saw its owner.

Lucian was standing in the doorway, his tall, broad frame nearly blocking out the whole thing. His silvery, pearly-white hair was cascading down his back and over his shoulders, and his pale blue skin almost glowed in the moonlight, giving him an oddly frosty appearance, but at the same time, his dark tunic, decorated with beads and feathers and woven with vines, made him appear very Druidic. It was quite contrasting, the chilly cold against the nature, but somehow he managed to make it work.

"How did you know my na - Er... What... I mean, where am I?" Norivana asked quietly, the whole situation proving to be immensely strange.

She'd never seen anything like this. It was so peaceful, and she realized she had no idea what she'd been missing all her life until now. It was like her mind and body were actually able to relax for the first time in, well, ever. The moonlit atmosphere was serene, cozy and comforting.

Lucian stepped into the small-yet-spacious room, half-closing the door behind him.

"You are at Raynewood Retreat, in a tower in Northern Ashenvale. This is where my tribe has been living for nearly a year now." He was speaking fluent Thalassian, as even though she could've understood most of what he said had he spoken Darnassian, this was easier on the both of them. Subtle differences in the languages could make for some interesting confusion.

She quirked a brow. "Your tribe?"

Lucian nodded. "Indeed. Nomadic Druidic elves currently reside here under the blessing of Ordanus, Keeper of the Grove."

"I see... I didn't know the Night Elves existed in their own tribes separate from the Cenarion one."

Lucian let out an uncomfortable cough, walking over next to the bed and sitting in a chair that rested beside it. "Well, they don't. Er, they're not supposed to. We're not exactly on good terms with the Cenarion druids. Or the majority of the Night Elf population, for that matter."

Norivana raised her brows. "Really? Why's that?"

"It's... a long story. Maybe another time." A moment passed, then he spoke up again. "I have a question of my own."

Norivana watched him expectantly, nodding her head once.

He cleared his throat. "Why did you free me? Why did you resolve to let me go when you obviously knew what would happen if it was discovered you'd aided the enemy?"

A few quiet seconds passed. Norivana shifted in the bed, fiddling with the edge of the blankets. "Well, I know you heard Aitto and me talking that night when we set up camp. I don't know what it was that really made us flip like that. I guess we were just done with it all," she paused for a bit, and Lucian regarded her with a compassionate expression.

She continued, "Ruthless killing.. it's all I've ever known. And I know for a fact there's more out there, something better than blindly following the orders of a hate-filled general all my life. And what he just did to us... Well, I can't say I want to return to that." She remembered mentioning Aitto, and her heart sped up with worry. "What about Aitto?" she asked suddenly before Lucian could reply to her previous conversation, "Is he alright?"

Lucian seemed to understand her urgency and gave her a reassuring nod. "The Tauren is well, though his body took a greater toll than your own. He sleeps, but he is now at least without pain. He will take much longer to recover."

Norivana couldn't help but let her mouth gape. He had taken more torture than she had? She couldn't even begin to imagine what he must have gone through, as what she had experienced was without-a-doubt the worst thing she had ever endured. And if he had gone through worse..._  
_

_"_Oh Aitto," she murmured quietly, feeling her throat tighten with a sob, "Oh I'm so, so sorry." Fighting her guilt, she pulled her knees up and placed her elbows on them, resting her face in her palms. She never used to cry. Why, all of a sudden, was this happening now?

"He will be okay," Lucian said, this time softer, "I don't doubt the two of you are quite close. You've both survived, and you will both recover fine. Worse things could have happened. At least you have each other."

She raised her head and looked Lucian in the eyes. "Yes, you're right. I don't know if I could handle all this if he weren't here. The worst is probably behind us."

Lucian took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Yes, the worst is behind you, but now the question is, where are you going to go? I noticed the Warchief's emblem on the stakes you were tied to. This does mean you're technically dead to the Horde, no?"

Norivana thought for a moment. "Yes, you're right. I... I don't know where I'll go. I can't go back to the Horde. Neither Aitto nor I can. I have no idea what we'll do."

Where _would_ they go? Their faces would be known in almost every major Horde city as traitors. Hellscream would see to that. He was the king of propaganda, and he would use this situation to his benefit. Something along the lines of 'Defy the Horde and you will suffer Hellscream's wrath'.

Neither of them spoke for a while. Lucian leaned back in his chair, which for him was much too small, though he didn't seem to mind. A cool breeze wafted through the window and carried the scent of rain. Norivana shivered, not because she was cold, but because she still couldn't get over how awe-inspiringly _beautiful_ this all was. She'd been in Ashenvale before, but never to a place like this. The areas she had been to were all Horde-contested areas that lacked the life and fortitude that seemed to radiate from this place.

"Well," Lucian broke the comfortable silence after some thought, "In the meantime, I will discuss with Ordanus the terms of your stay. I will propose that both you and your Tauren companion remain with us as repayment for saving my own life, at least until you find a residence of your own."

Norivana was taken aback. This was a whole new level of kindness. First of all, he, her supposed _enemy_ had brought both her and Aitto from the brink of death, and then he took it a step up and promised both shelter and safety. _The kindness of the Night Elves is a beauty to behold._

She opened her mouth to speak, momentarily dumbstruck, then finally found her voice. "Thank you, Lucian. Thank you so much. Words cannot even begin to express my gratitude. I don't even know where to start..."

Lucian smiled slightly, the action catching Norivana off-guard. She stared at him, stopping mid-sentence. _He's strikingly... beautiful._ She couldn't help but think it, noticing for the first time how his expressive amber eyes seemed to hold a certain spark, a smile, a hidden twinkle that one wouldn't catch unless they actually looked at him. His pale blue skin seemed almost iridescent, as it, along with his silvery hair, seemed to reflect a wide assortment of pale, shining colors as he moved about. His straight, chiseled features tapered at a strong chin that sported a decent amount of shiny, silvery stubble. He was young, or at least, he _appeared_ young, holding a certain spring to his actions that one wouldn't find in an older man. Though, with these elves, you can never be sure. He could be 200, even 400 years old for all she knew.

He also had a strange look about him, as if he was restraining something at all times. He gave off an aura of immense power, the air around him seemingly shifting its pressure as he moved. Something was constantly ablaze behind the glow of his elvish eyes, a hidden pool of, if Norivana had caught it correctly, what seemed to be a powerful magic reservoir hidden beneath that of his mana pool. She caught a glimpse of it only for a second before Lucian shifted his gaze, turning his head to stare out the window. His skin seemed to ripple over the raw muscle, the power, that lay beneath it, as if his Druidic feral side was about to explode any moment, allowing the beast within to shift and take over. Even so, he radiated calm, his voice itself a tonic for the stress-afflicted mind.

He was a stunning creature, no doubt about it, and Norivana noticed that even with everything she had just experienced, the pain was slowly ebbing away. The combination of the tranquil atmosphere and the mysterious-yet-oddly-ataractic man resting in the chair beside her had her feeling relaxed and calm.

She yawned widely, letting her body relax.

Lucian took this as a sign and stood up to speak, his rich voice resonating through the small room. "I'll allow you to rest as much as you need. In the meantime, I shall discuss your stay with Ordanus and set the terms. I have no doubt he will be willing to provide more than enough for you. Sleep now, Norivana."

He left the room promptly, softly closing the door behind him and leaving her to the sounds of nature, breeze through the leaves and the beginnings of what sounded like a rainstorm.

She lay down in her bed, resting her head on a downy pillow, her mind latching onto his final words and replaying them. The sound of her name rolling off his tongue had made her heart flutter and heat creep into her face, and she was thankful for her solitude right then and there. She closed her eyes, letting her mind wander and drift off, the sound of rain and rustling trees giving her peace and allowing her to finally get some decent rest.


	6. Accepted

**Hey readers! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, the favoriters, followers, and all you who just support by reading. **

**My internet was dead for a few days, so I wasn't able to upload this chapter. But here we go, chapter six!**

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By the time Norivana had woken up, the moon was shining in through her window. Either she'd gotten an entire day's worth of sleep, or barely any at all. And by the rested feeling she had, she'd almost undoubtedly slept all day. Rain could still be heard clearly through the wide-open window, creating a calming effect in the room. Moonlight lit up the furniture and walls in the room in a soft, hazy glow.

Norivana slid out of bed, realizing for the first time she was dressed in soft green, almost weightless robes that cascaded down to the floor, draping over her shoulders and tied with tiny, shiny beads in the back. She gasped quietly in surprise. This was one of the first times she'd ever dressed in anything even remotely elegant; until now, she had always had the rough, rugged armor that was distributed to the military soldiers in bulk. In all her time, she would never have given a second thought to dressing up for anything. So this, whatever it was, was a big surprise, not to mention someone _else_ had dressed her in it.

She looked around for her armor and weapons, but the room was for the most part bare.

_'Damnit,' _she cursed to herself, having forgotten momentarily what all happened in the past few days, 'T_he Warchief took my weapons.'_

_'...Now what?'_

Tiptoeing barefoot over to the door, she unlatched it and cracked it open as silently as possible. She still had no idea where she was, and although Lucian's promises appeared sincere, she wasn't taking any chances. Weighing her options, she decided the best course of action would be to find Aitto first. If he was safe, it'd be quite a bit easier to trust this tribe of Druids.

She glanced out the door, almost unable to see anything due to the lack of daylight. Thankfully, moonlight was reflecting off of a few areas, just faint enough to see, and Norivana saw no one in the hall. She silently exited the room, her steps making no sound whatsoever due to her rogueish abilities, and she picked up her pace down the hall, unsure of where to go. The floors were oddly slanted, appearing to spiral downward. Deciding that was the best way to go, Norivana slinked down the steps, and although her thin dress was a bit different than the traditional tight leather strapping, it seemed to flow like liquid with her movements, creating almost little-to-no noise save the occasional flutter of silk when her movements quickened.

As she reached the base of the apparently cylindrical building, she noticed a strange-looking well down in the main room cast a soft, cool light onto everything around it. Norivana hid back again, just peeking her head barely around the corner to investigate. She then realized she was inside a massive tree. In the dark, she hadn't noticed how the walls, ceilings, floors, everything, were all wooden. She knew enough about the Night Elves to know they did prefer to build their homes out of the trees, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind until now.

Something struck her strange as she glanced around. She saw no one. She hadn't seen or heard anyone since she'd awakened.

Now on full alert, she steeled herself and slid into the main room, only to be shocked nearly out of her own skin by a young female elf who greeted her unexpectedly.

"Shiiiit!" Norivana hissed out the curse, cringing away from the girl. She took a few steps back, ready to defend herself, but the young elf did nothing but stare at her, an amused look flitting across her face at Norivana's obvious surprise.

She was one of the youngest-looking Night Elves Norivana had ever seen. She definitely appeared in her late teens, but then again Norivana hadn't seen a child Night Elf in her life, so she couldn't be sure. She was taller than Norivana, though, and had white hair, vivid amber eyes, and skin of a deep purple. Her clothes were very unrefined, almost wild-looking. She wore long robes of a deep verdant green, teeming with vines that actually seemed to be living and sprouting tiny flowers that somehow speckled themselves artistically down the length of the fabric.

She had facial markings like many of the female Night Elves Norivana had encountered, but they were different; they were pitch black, starting at the base of her bottom eyelids and stretching all the way down to the ridge of where her jaw met her neck, just under her long ears. They were complex, with thin, delicate lines that twirled and looped and small speckles that followed the pattern.

The young elf was the first to break the silence.

"Hello, sleepyhead. I was just on my way to fetch you," she chirped matter-of-factly, her song-like voice throwing Norivana off-guard.

Norivana squinted skeptically, then spoke with a dialect that sounded as Darnassian as she could make it, "Who are you?"

"You may call me Lena, and if you're done asking pointless questions, I'd like to get this moving. The Keeper has requested your presence," the elf retorted back quickly, and Norivana was surprised she had managed to understand it all.

_Maybe Darnassian and Thalassian aren't quite so different after all._

"What about my companion, Aitto? Where is he?" she implored, concerned.

Lena sighed impatiently, "He's fine. Now, come on. Let's go."

Norivana held her ground defensively, deciding she wouldn't be going _anywhere_ with this peculiar girl, but Lena wasn't fazed and she turned to leave, not even looking back once to see if Norivana was following. Norivana hesitated a moment, having been completely unprepared for the young elf to just take off like that. But, after a moment of considering, she chose to follow behind, taking a few quick steps to catch up. Lena didn't even acknowledge her presence, just kept walking swiftly back up the ramp that Norivana had just descended.

Norivana had to quicken her pace to keep up. Lena was quite fast, her long strides taking her up the ramp with ease. Norivana huffed a little, annoyed at the urgency Lena seemed to project. The fact that she'd apparently slept all day sort of kept her from believing this was as critical as Lena was implying.

They arrived finally at an open arch that led outside into the rain, and when they stepped out onto the ramp that was now outdoors, Norivana looked down and realized she had to be at least three stories high. Other large trees stretched high into the rainy sky, and the moon shone through rain clouds and gave the whole atmosphere a very tranquil air to it. The rain fell in large droplets, wetting the silky dress she wore. She didn't mind so much. It was still quite a bit better than wearing sticky wet leather armor or trudging through mud with soggy boots. This was a whole new world compared to what she was used to.

They encircled the building, finally reaching the top level and entering a large, circular room. It was surrounded by decorated, tinted windows and beautiful lush vines and plants that grew out of and onto the walls.

_These guys like plants,_ Norivana smirked to herself. She glanced around the room, her eyes resting on a staggeringly-large creature standing in the center. The sheer size of him took her breath away, and for a moment she didn't realize she'd been standing there, gawking, mouth wide open.

Lena skipped into the room in front of Norivana, waltzing straight up to the massive half-stag, half-elf creature that rested in the heart of the room. He gave her a nod and a look of appreciation, then turned his attention to Norivana, regarding her with a strict, yet not imposing, gaze. She had no doubt this was Keeper Ordanus.

"I take it you are the elf who saved Master Silverpaw's life. Tell me, young one, what is your story? How did you come to be stranded in the middle of this forest?" His voice was ancient, almost terrifyingly so. It held a certain power to it, much stronger and much more intense than Lucian's.

Norivana hesitated a moment, unsure of how much she should say. Then, it finally hit her: she no longer belonged to the Horde. Any allegiances or duties she held then were abolished the moment Garrosh had sent her and Aitto to their deaths. She had absolutely no reason to retain any information any longer.

"That," she began after taking a breath, doing her best to come off as respectable as possible in front of the Keeper, "was a result of Garrosh Hellscream's inability to see honor in mercy. They would have treated their captive," she motioned toward Lucian, who was watching her intently, jaw clenched in concentration of her words, "with cruelty beyond measure. It'd make my experience seem like child's play. So, I, along with my comrade Aitto, refused to allow Lucian to suffer for actions he himself did not commit. When Hellscream discovered we had both defended Lucian from torture, attacking a Horde soldier in the process, and had then proceeded to free him, he sentenced us both to death - to be tortured and left to die, alone and in unfamiliar territory. The compassion of Garrosh Hellscream knows no bounds..." Norivana said the last sentence with a sarcastic edge, smirking.

Ordanus let out a rumbling growl. "The young, rash Warchief will cause much trouble, of this I have no doubt. However, things do have a way of working themselves out. Take yourself, for example. In showing young Master Silverpaw mercy, you shall receive it in turn, not only from him, but from us all. We thank you, Norivana, and I offer both you and your brave comrade a place here until you so choose to depart."

Norivana let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. This was fantastic news! She grinned widely, relieved beyond measure, and bowed deeply before the Keeper.

"Thank you, Keeper. If I ever find a way to repay you..."

The creature interrupted her, holding up a clawed hand. "No, child. We are in _your_ debt_. _Young Lucian is a very valued and trusted member of his tribe; I have no doubt that everyone here is beyond thankful for your actions."

A few elves who had been standing silently nearby voiced their agreements, giving Norivana genuine smiles. She smiled slightly back, thrown off a little by the kindness these elves were showing her. She was a Blood Elf. She was an enemy, by default. How was it that they would so readily give their trust to her?

She remained standing there, unsure of what to do now, until Lucian left the Keeper's side and approached her, an almost bitter expression on his face, his brow knitted tightly. He gently placed a hand on her arm and led her out of the upper floors, down through the rain and back almost to the base floor of the tree, just outside the door to the room she had stayed in. She said nothing, though she was a little confused. Why did he look so upset? Wasn't this what he'd wanted to happen? Did he want her to stay there or no?

He stopped, then turned to face her, standing at least an arm's length away. He stood, searching her eyes for a moment before he sighed deeply once, then pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose anxiously.

Norivana was thoroughly lost. "What is it?!" she asked worriedly, wondering what in all of Azeroth she had done now.

He let his hand fall, taking a half step forward almost accusingly. His voice resonated through the wooden, empty, slanted halls. "I had no idea your terrible condition was due to you letting me go. If you knew that could happen, why in Elune's name would you risk your life for something like that?" He almost hissed the last words, his expression still twisted into a frown.

Norivana snorted defensively, under the impression he was angry with her. "What, you prefer I'd have just gone through with it? Taken you back to Orgrimmar for you to be tortured to death? Good to know my choices are appreciated, then." She huffed annoyedly. He was alive, and he was well. Why was he so pissed?

"No, Noriv- Argh!" he raised his arms exasperatedly, then let them fall to his sides before he continued. "That's not it, not by a long shot. I'm just... Had I known how much you were sacrificing in saving my life, I'd have done so much more about it. Hell, I'd have just taken you with me right then and there, you and your Tauren friend. The state you were in when I found you... I just... I cannot believe that was all because of _me_. You were literally _seconds_ from death, Norivana. _Seconds_."

Lucian's brow was furrowed and his mouth was tightened in a hard line. Norivana was struck speechless. Were all Night Elves this open with everything? If this had been a discussion with, say, an Orc, she would've been nursing some sort of injury by now - not talking about _feelings_ or _guilt_. Black eyes, she could deal with. But this? This was a whole new level of strange for her.

"You... Wait, what?" she asked dumbly.

Lucian let out a breath, then spoke a little calmer this time, "I never actually made the connection that you were tortured like that because you saved my life, and I'm so incredibly and utterly confused as to _why. _Why did you do it?"

"I already told you why," Norivana replied, still a little dumbstruck.

"So that's really the reason, then?" Lucian asked incredulously, "You practically signed your own death sentence, all because you were tired of working for a jackass?"

"Well when you put it like that..." Norivana couldn't help but smirk at Lucian's assessment of the Warchief.

Lucian just shook his head, finally giving her a slight smile, just one corner of his mouth twitching up humorously. "Such a strange one you are, Blood Elf." He then changed the subject, motioning toward her temporary room. "Go ahead and change into a dry outfit. I'm sure there's something that'll fit you in there. Once you're done, I'll take you to your Paladin friend."

Norivana nodded thankfully, relieved that she'd finally be able to check on Aitto, and quickly entered the room, shutting the door behind her and going by the moonlight to find some clothes. She donned a more practical outfit: a pair of capri-length pants that fit loosely with drawstrings, and a comfortable, plain white linen shirt.

When she exited the room, she found Lucian awaiting her, and they both took off to visit her ailing friend.


	7. The Tribe

**Alright! Chapter seven up and away! Time to spice things up. **

**I took the liberty of drawing a black and white face-shot of Lucian. I sort of gave him an almost blood elf appearance, purely accidental but mildly ironic, and I thought I'd just keep it that way. **

**However, I have absolutely no idea how to post a link.. ****Sooo I'll type it out. If you can't tell, "- dot -" is a period, and you can just delete the hyphens and spaces.**

**Type in your address field: "Feffervescent - dot- imgur - dot - com - / - all" , and then click on the only image there.**

**Sorry if that's too confusing.. I have no idea why it won't let me just hyperlink it.**

**Whatevs..**

**Hope you enjoy. ^^ This chapter is a bit longer than the others.**

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Lucian led Norivana down the ramp and into the main base room, where the large moonwell rested in the center. By now, many of the elves that had been up in the top floor with Ordanus had trickled down and were scattered through the building, so it wasn't even remotely as eerie as it'd seemed earlier.

To her left, just out the front exit of the building, Norivana heard the approaching sound of loud whoops and hollers, and within seconds, what appeared to be five boisterous druids tumbled into the room. A few were in their humanoid form, and the others were currently in the process of shifting out of their animal forms. They were soaked head-to-toe, covered in mud, and had large, goofy grins plastered on their faces. Most were shirtless, with loose, wild-looking trousers and shaggy green, blue, or black hair. They were so out-of-place, this group of elves, acting so... non-elf-like. Night Elves were known to be serene, restrained, and quiet, but this rowdy crowd was completely trampling that stereotype. They were all laughing hysterically, shoving each other and dodging good-natured punches.

Norivana attempted to take a step back to get out of the way, but she was too late as one of the Druids, not noticing her standing there, stumbled back and slammed right into her. Norivana let out a shriek and tried to regain her balance to no avail. Lucian reached out to grab her in an attempt to keep her from falling, but that only made things worse, and before Norivana could react, she was falling straight into the moonwell. As she hit the strange magical liquid with a splash, she realized both Lucian and the blue-haired elf had followed behind and were on either side of her, sputtering and sloshing around in the water.

Lucian righted himself, pulling his soaked hair out of his face and giving the rambunctious elves a stern look.

"Unaril," Lucian groaned, glaring at the soaked, smirking elf who sat beside Norivana.

The elf whipped his soaked hair out of his face sloppily, giving himself a serious cow-lick. He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry chief. Honestly though, it wasn't my fault. Sarion pushed me."

Norivana glanced up at the other four elves, who had ceased their horseplay and were now standing like puppies awaiting scolding. She stifled a smirk. They all looked _ridiculous._ Here was a group of young, yet full-grown, menacing men, all at_ least_ eight feet tall, (which is large even for Night Elves' standards), and who if not for their chagrined demeanor, would have made Norivana's hair stand on end. But here they all were, standing about and looking like scolded children.

"I don't care whose fault it was," Lucian said with a grunt, standing up and stepping out of the sacred well, "just don't do it again." He reached down a broad hand to Norivana, who took it tentatively and stood as well.

The elf who Norivana now knew as Unaril sloshed out of the water, shaking off the liquid almost dog-like before giving them both a wide, toothy grin and running a hand through his soaked hair, smoothing it down behind his ears. Lucian, who stood almost a whole foot taller than all the other elves, spoke up again.

"I take it you all had a good time on your 'patrol'?" He said the last word sarcastically, giving Unaril a slight smirk with one corner of his mouth before straightening his expresson. It seemed almost as if Lucian viewed the boisterous elves as his children or little siblings, and they saw him as their superior. They almost seemed to regard him with a reverence one would expect to be applied to a king or someone of high stature, but at the same time, they saw him as their equal and friend.

"Yeah we did!" Unaril hooted loudly, receiving cheers from his friends, before catching himself and clearing his throat uncomfortably, "Er, I mean y-yes. Nothing exciting. Just a good old patrol."

Lucian's eyes twinkled, obviously entertained, but he kept a straight face. "Good. Why don't you men go get cleaned up? We've got guests." He nodded his head slightly toward a soaked Norivana, and she felt extremely uncomfortable as all eyes fell on her. She fidgeted, and for a split second nothing happened, until suddenly every single one of the muddy elves clamored in, shouting out introductions and attempting to shake her hand or pat her on the shoulder. They were all immensely large, and it was all Norivana could do to keep from suffocating as they crowded her, all talking loudly and at the same time.

As she neared the point of panicking, Norivana felt a hand wrap itself around her forearm and pull, and she didn't fight it, rather she let whoever it was guide her out of the mass of friendly elves. It was Lucian, and he was nearly in tears with laughter as he guided her away from the group of men, who got the point and shouted their goodbyes as they took off out the door again, apparently going somewhere to wash up.

She started to grin back as Lucian's laugh was infectious, and he led her back to her room to let her change again. By the time they'd arrived at her room, Lucian had calmed down a little but still had laughter in his eyes as he motioned for her to go ahead.

_Here we go, third outfit I've worn within less than a day, _Norivana smirked to herself. As she went through the various clothing, a dress caught her eye and she gaped at it, lifting it up and letting it shimmer in the moonlight. It was gorgeous. Although it was quite simple, it was elegant, and she decided immediately that no matter how impractical, this was what she'd wear. She slipped it on and it fit perfectly, hugging her waist and wrapping delicately around the back of her neck. It was a very, very light blue, almost white, and speckled with subtle, shiny beads that became more sparse as they stretched downward. The fabric was shimmery, thin, and soft, almost weightless, and it was the perfect length; not too long, but just barely brushing the floor when she moved. She twirled around once in it, understanding for the first time why women loved dressing up.

Lucian was awaiting her outside her door when she returned, and he was wearing a new outfit, almost exactly the same as what he'd been wearing before but this time the cloth was pitch black and almost without any embellishments at all. He had leather boots on over his trousers, and a large leather belt which held both his shirttails and his pants in place. The sleeves on his shirt ran mid-arm, rolled up to his elbows. All in all, he looked _very_ good.

As Norivana exited her room, Lucian's eyes widened ever-so-slightly as he took in her appearance, surprised by the change from soaked, muddy trousers to this delicate dress. He cleared his throat and recovered his gaze quickly though, giving her a curt smile, and he turned to go, allowing Norivana to follow behind.

Lucian led her down into an underground level, where the halls and rooms were lit with torches. They reached their destination and Lucian opened the door, allowing Norivana to enter first, before he nabbed a torch off the wall and entered as well. It lit the room quite well, surprisingly, and right in the center was a large bed, occupied by a motionless, sleeping figure.

Immediately, Norivana was alarmed. This wasn't normal behavior. Aitto was a_ massive_ Tauren who normally made _massive_ snores when he slept. And right now, he wasn't making a sound.

"What's wrong with him?!" Norivana squeaked worriedly, her voice raised an entire octave. Lucian held a finger up to his mouth to shush her, speaking in a hushed tone. His brows were knitted in a confused expression.

"Nothing's wrong, he is fine. He's just sleeping."

"He most certainly is _not_ fine! Why is he so still? Why isn't he sleeping normally?" she continued to speak hysterically, her fear for Aitto's wellbeing causing her to lose track of reason.

Lucian wrinkled his brow more, and he spoke in a low voice, saying each word clearly and slowly. "Norivana, I assure you, your friend is fine. If this isn't 'sleeping normally', then I don't know what is. Quiet down; you'll wake him."

"He hasn't even moved, and I'm practically yelling!" Norivana looked frantically between Aitto and Lucian.

Lucian stared at her incredulously, unspeaking. This was the only thing she'd been legitimately concerned about since the moment he'd met her. Aitto was most definitely, without a doubt, her number one weakness.

Norivana continued, "Just to be safe, can you give him another heal? I don't like this. He's too quiet." Norivana was still too loud, her eyes wide, though she was at least speaking in a normal tone.

Lucian gave her an almost amused look, which was also mixed with exasperation. "He's healthy as can be. He's just exhausted. A healing spell will do nothing but-"

"What's the worst that can happen? Please, Lucian, just in case..." Norivana interrupted him, pleading helplessly.

Lucian sighed and shook his head, but finally agreed, summoning a quick spell and transferring it to the sleeping bull.

Immediately, Aitto's eyes whipped open, his hand instinctively grasping at where his weapon would've been sheathed. Norivana's nerves immediately calmed a little, but she still wasn't completely convinced he was okay.

He glanced around the room before his eyes rested on Norivana, and he relaxed slightly before assessing her appearance. He snorted loudly.

"Why are you wearing a dress..?" he asked plainly, and Norivana blinked at him, unsure of what to say. He looked around for a second, taking in his surroundings and quirking a brow at Lucian, who was smiling amusedly at Aitto's unconventional choice of introductory words. A look of realization washed over Aitto's face, and he seemed almost upset.

"We're dead, aren't we?" Aitto groaned, giving Lucian a look of disgust and then giving Norivana another once-over, blinking at her strange apparel.

Norivana breathed out a relieved laugh and jumped forward, giving Aitto a tight hug before letting him go. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no, we're very much alive, thanks to mister Silverpaw here."

Lucian took a step forward as Aitto sat up in his bed, holding out a hand and giving Aitto a warm smile. "Hello again, Aitto Thunderhoof. I am pleased to finally speak to you in a civil manner." He laughed a little as he spoke.

Aitto gave Lucian a hesitant glance before shaking his hand, giving Norivana a quizzical look. Norivana recognized it and spoke up.

"You remember Lucian, no doubt. We're in northern Ashenvale, where Lucian's tribe lives. It's already been decided that we can stay here a while until we find somewhere else to live. They're wonderful people here, Aitto. I'm sure we'll get along perfectly."

Lucian watched Norivana with a fascinated expression, his eyes flashing slightly with affection as she complimented his people. Aitto snorted loudly again, a very "Tauren-like" gesture.

"Well, that's a relief," Aitto rumbled, "We've nowhere else to be."

Lucian nodded, pleased with how quickly Aitto had accepted everything, then changed the subject, "I've a question, something I've already asked Norivana about, but I'm curious as to what _your_ answer is. What was your reason for doing what you did on the battlefield that day? You're the one who actually made the original decision, I hear."

Aitto sighed once, pausing a long while before he spoke, choosing his words. "Actually, this is something I've been meaning to tell Norivana for a while, but I never really got around to it," he addressed Norivana as he spoke, "I... have this ability, per se, which allows me to sense the emotions and feelings of those around me. I only recently discovered I had it; until then I always thought I was just a bit too distracted by my morals. Turns out, according to Pyreanor, I'm what we call an 'empath'. So each time I was out in battle, every time I made a kill, I had to distance myself, to shut down as much as I could, to keep from feeling what they felt. But, it just got worse and worse, until finally I couldn't do it anymore. And that was when I shielded the elf." He looked at Lucian, who was watching him intently.

Lucian raised his brows. "An empath? And as a Paladin no less..." He trailed off a little, shaking his head, clearly in awe, "Very impressive indeed. Your ability is quite rare, my friend, and even more rare with your skill set. Priests are more apt to the skill than Paladins."

Aitto huffed. "It's a blessing and a curse."

"Of that I have no doubt," Lucian agreed, giving Aitto a sympathetic look.

Norivana pondered for a moment. "It all makes so much more sense now," she mumbled, scrunching her brows. Aitto nodded at her, apparently relieved she wasn't upset with him for keeping it a secret. Norivana gave him a smile, which more-or-less put him at ease. When they were safe and together, all was right in the world.

A minute passed, and Lucian spoke up in lighthearted tones.

"We elves are somewhat nocturnal, if you haven't noticed," he began, smiling cordially, "and right about now there should be a meal prepared by our more talented chefs of the group. You're both welcome to a place at our table at any time. I, for one, am quite hungry, so I'll be heading there now. Would you two like to join me?"

Aitto stood out of bed, dressed in well-made clothes that surprisingly fit him nicely, and he stretched a little before agreeing with Lucian.

"One thing you should know about me," he said with a humorous tone, his deep voice rumbling loudly, "is that I certainly won't turn down food."

Lucian laughed aloud and grinned at both of them, then took the lead.

Norivana smiled brightly and gave Aitto another hug, ecstatic that her buddy was alive and well. This was, even with what she'd endured in the past few days, hands-down the best day of her life. She was free of the pressure and worry and stress that accompanied fighting for Hellscream's army. She felt legitimately safe, which was ironic due to the fact that she was at the heart of a supposed 'enemy' encampment. And best of all, her companion, her best friend, was right there with her: happy, safe, and well-cared for.

Through all this, she felt an extreme gratitude rise up for Lucian. He'd made all this happen. He had saved both their lives, brought them into his home and provided them with help that no one else would have. He was the sole reason they were still breathing, the sole reason she was skipping along happily next to her comrade. She walked up next to him, matching her stride with his. He towered over her, easily the same height as Aitto, who was around nine feet tall. She made a mental note to ask Lucian sometime why he was so... large.

"Lucian," she began happily, and he glanced over to her.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice calm.

Norivana smiled as she spoke. "Thank you."

He looked down at her, smiling back. He understood exactly what she meant.

* * *

The food was fantastic. Most of it, Norivana had never even heard of. Different breads and various types of cooked poultry were served on large platters, sprinkled with spices and herbs that made Norivana's mouth water just from the smell. There were lots of green vegetables, served both steamed and fresh, and endless fruits and sweet wine that never seemed to run out. Norivana hadn't realized how hungry she was until she finally sat down to eat, when she realized she hadn't eaten since they'd left Orgrimmar. No wonder she felt so drained.

As the feast commenced, Norivana was placed near the head of a long, plain table, which was located outside under the shelter of tightly-woven tree branches that made an almost dome. A few small torches helped light the area, along with lanterns that were placed along the table.

Norivana sat with Aitto to her left and Lucian to her right. She appreciated Lucian's constant presence; he was like her own personal guide. They mostly ate in silence, as Lucian was preoccupied talking to a few elves beside him, but Norivana didn't mind. She enjoyed how laid back everyone seemed, how light the atmosphere felt. Everyone ate at their own pace and left when they pleased.

After a few minutes they were joined by the group of druids that she had encountered earlier. Now, they were dressed a little more respectably and were much cleaner. When Unaril caught sight of Norivana, his face lit up and he waltzed over to sit across from her, beckoning his friends over. They all clambered into the seats, shoving and pushing each other around until they managed to all fit. It was an entertaining sight, and Norivana caught herself stifling a giggle as she watched.  
She noticed Aitto was giving them all a quizzical look, having stopped mid-bite, fork halfway to his mouth, which was gaping open. He glanced between all five druids, his eyes finally stopping on Unaril, who was sitting in front of Norivana. Unaril gave Aitto a friendly nod and popped a large helping of steaming bread into his mouth, grinning widely as he chewed. Aitto quirked a brow but continued eating, obviously just as perplexed as Norivana had been at these elves.

Unaril finally turned his gaze back to Norivana and swallowed his mouthful before speaking.

"Sorry about earlier, lass. 'Twasn't my intention to knock you senseless and drown you... Even if you are funny-looking." He raised his eyebrows playfully as he said this, shoving another generous helping of food into his mouth.

Norivana let out a snort. "I'm funny-looking? You're purple!"

Aitto chuckled to her left in a silent agreement. Unaril smirked and glanced between the two, studying them both. He spoke with his mouth full, muffling parts of his speech.

"Even you gotta admit you're the weirdest-lookin' pair to ever have waltzed into Ashenvale," he said, doing his best not to slur his words through his food.

A black-haired elf sitting to the side of Unaril shook his head and piped in, "I don't know, Unaril, your face alone wins the 'weirdness' contest."

"Shut it, Sarion!" Unaril half-laughed, half-shouted back at the elf, and then reached an arm over and jammed his elbow into the black-haired elf's side, who chortled and shoved back. This started a miniature war between the two, and amidst his frenzied antics, Sarion accidentally slammed his side into the table in an attempt to block Unaril's attacks, which sent the table scooting a few inches, knocking over glasses and causing a lot of the elves to shout out complaints at their lost beverages.

Lucian's head whipped back to see what the commotion was, as his glass had also tipped over and spilled onto the table. When he saw what was going on, he groaned and rolled his eyes, brushing a hand over his face and down his chin.

"Unaril, Sarion, settle down -" he attempted to get the elves' attention, but Unaril stood up and leapt at Sarion, knocking Sarion against the table. They grappled for a moment, flailing, until Unaril finally managed to restrain Sarion's arms behind his back.

With much difficulty, as Sarion was squirming and trying to wiggle out of the hold, Unaril finally managed to take one finger, lick it, and proceed to jam it into Sarion's ear.

The entire table erupted with laughter, hooting and cheering, and Unaril released his grip and raised his arms above his head victoriously, grinning ear-to-ear. Sarion sent a friendly punch into Unaril's side, but he regained his calm and sat back down at the table.

Norivana couldn't help it now, and she laughed along with the other elves. She heard Aitto's hearty chuckle below the more song-like laughs of the others, which made her even happier. The fact that he was alive was enough to give her peace, but now that he was enjoying a meal, relaxed, and laughing, she couldn't have hoped for better.

Lucian was smiling as well, and he shook his head and rolled his eyes at the group of rowdy elves. It was clear to him that they were showing off, and he didn't have to guess twice to know who the act was for. He glanced at the small red-haired Blood Elf beside him, who was laughing cheerfully at the two boisterous men. She was definitely peculiar, that was for sure, but she was transitioning quite smoothly, to his surprise. He hadn't expected her to just go along with everything. She seemed to trust him wholly, which actually scared him a little. It was a large change in responsibility. He would have to be extra-delicate with this one. She was, in a sense, completely at his mercy.

Norivana, still smiling, sensed Lucian's intense stare and glanced up, meeting his eyes. He softened his expression and gave her a warm smile before pausing and looking away suddenly, pricking his long ears and tensing.

Norivana heard it as well, clear as a bell, and it sounded ridiculously familiar. Then she recognized it: war drums. It was faint, but still very much there. She gave Lucian a frantic look, and he took that as an affirmation that this was bad.

He stood abruptly, and his voice thundered over the chattering elves, effectively silencing them and gaining their full attention.

"Gladia, Unaril, Mila, Legalith, Terion, Varaldor, Sorian,-" he was calling out names, and as he said each one the owner perked up his or her head, standing and briskly making their way over to him to receive their orders. By now, Norivana had no doubt Lucian held a higher position than all the other elves there. The other elves regarded him with too much respect for him to not be. Was he their leader? Chieftain?

Lucian gathered a large crowd, at least fifteen or so, of fairly well-equipped druids, who Norivana noticed to be the largest of the tribe. Something struck her strange: Lucian, with the exception of Lena, was the only white-haired elf she had seen there. All the others had darker hair, and were not even near as tall as him.

The druids were all very tall, though, at least seven or eight feet, muscular, and quite feral. Lucian, with his ridiculous height equal to that of Aitto's, was still towering over them, which gave Norivana chills; she herself was about six feet tall, and she felt like a midget.

Lucian barked out a few quick orders to the crowd and turned to Norivana, who was now standing near Aitto.

"You two..." he trailed off, trying to decide what to do. They had no weapons, and their armor was all ruined. They were both still in need of some recovery, especially Aitto. "I think it's best if you stay with the rest of the tribe here. If this turns south, I'll be sending the tribe west toward Astranaar for help."

Norivana nodded, then spoke up, feeling both worried and slightly guilty, "Lucian, what if they're coming for Aitto and me? What if they've somehow found out we survived with your clan?"

Lucian shook his head quickly and gave her a reassuring look, placing a broad hand on her shoulder and looking at her intently as he spoke, "The Horde forces have been carving their way through this forest for a while now. It was just a matter of time before they showed up here. This is not your fault." He gave the same look to Aitto, and Aitto nodded back understandingly.

Norivana took a shaky breath, unconvinced, but didn't argue. If she managed to both ostracize Aitto and herself and cause the destruction of the only people who showed her kindness, she would never forgive herself.

A familiar tattooed face appeared, who Norivana recognized as Lena. Lena apparently knew exactly what to do, because without explanation she waltzed over to Norivana and Aitto, clasping her hands around their arms and pulling them along with her. They followed without complaint and were led out behind the large tree and down into a cave that, if Norivana hadn't been paying attention, would have gone completely unnoticed.

The last thing she saw before following the rest of the druids into the cave was an impressive sight. Lucian, along with his sizable group of allies, shifted gracefully into his feline form and turned south toward the sounds of the impending battle. The sheer size of his feral cat form was staggering. He was _much_ larger than she remembered. His shoulders could've easily surpassed the height of her waist, and he was on all fours. She shivered at the sight, both terrified and in awe.

Accompanied by his darker-furred fellows, Lucian took off down the road, sliding into the shadows and slinking silently to meet his adversaries.

* * *

**Whew! Now what'll they do? **

**Stay tuned. ;)**


	8. Bloodshed

**Whoo! Thanks for reading! You are all fantastic.**

**This is a very long chapter compared to the others, just because I couldn't exactly get to a good stopping point. So, for those who prefer longer chapters, this one's for you.**

* * *

Norivana was at the back of the line in the cave, and she realized after a moment it wasn't just a cave, it was a tunnel, lit by torches that ran along the walls. In front of her stretched at least thirty dark-haired Druids, and most of them looked fairly young. They were all muttering worriedly to each other, moving quickly to follow the leaders. At the front, Aitto towered over them conversing with Lena about something Norivana couldn't hear. Lena was talking hurriedly, and Aitto was listening to her intently, nodding once in a while.

Norivana picked up her pace and squeezed along the sides around the mass of Druids, who, as they noticed her, gave way and let her through. She made her way up next to Aitto, and she managed to catch just enough of Lena's words to know what was going on.

"...tunnel will lead down to the south, out near a fork in the road. From there, as long as the roads are clear, we will head west toward Astranaar. Although we may not be on good terms with the elves there, their role as defense against the horde should take precedence and they'll hopefully provide help. If not..." Lena trailed off, letting out a strained sigh.

Aitto frowned slightly as he walked. "And how do you think they will react to Norivana's and my presence? That will no doubt put a damper on their will to help."

Lena shook her head. "I guess there's nothing to do but wait and see. If nothing else, we _could_ claim you're our prisoners. But I really, _really_ don't want to do that. I'll just try to tell them the truth. No harm in that."

They walked in silence after that, save for the shuffling of feet against the dirt and stone floors of the tunnels. It was getting more and more cramped as they went along, and Norivana was thankful she wasn't the claustrophobic type. After a few minutes, the tunnel widened and became lighter and lighter, and they came upon a large cave opening out into dense thicket. There was a lush layer of tall ferns that blanketed the ground just outside the cave, which faded out into various flowery plants and trees. On all sides, the ground steepened, and Norivana concluded that the cave exit rested in a tiny valley - or more like crater - that effectively hid it from the rest of the world.

To the right was a steep hill that led up and out of the cave, and Lena immediately set to scaling it, using various plants as footholds and climbing her way up. The other Druids followed, and so did Norivana and Aitto, and after a while they had all crawled up the hill and out onto a dirt path, which converged with a road about twenty feet ahead. Glancing around, Norivana realized this area looked oddly familiar.

Aitto spoke up, confirming her thoughts.

"Can't say I wanted to come back here," he muttered, and Norivana followed his gaze, eyes resting on the large tree stump that stood at a fork in the road. One road turned south, while the other went west. The stump had loose chains hanging around it, along with two short poles that connected to the chains and held shackles. Immediately, Norivana's skin prickled, and she shivered involuntarily. This did _not_ hold good memories.

Lena gave both of them a mildly sympathetic look, but other than that was quite stoic as she quietly but commandingly ordered the remainder of the tribe to start on their way west. She began leading them along the road toward Astranaar, right past the unoccupied chains and manacles that lay tauntingly beside the road.

Norivana and Aitto stood there a second, frowning at these objects that had caused them so much grief just days earlier. The Druids were all at least thirty yards ahead by the time the two broke out of their gaze and returned to the present, and they both quickly started to jog to catch up.

They had only made it a couple of paces before Norivana heard someone whistling behind her, and she whipped around just in time to witness someone she very much did _not_ want to see: A gnarly-looking Troll with a withered staff and a bad disposition.

Krazak'Zul.

He was holding a section of the chains that had held the prisoners, whistling softly, and it appeared he hadn't noticed neither Aitto or Norivana yet. He had to have just arrived there, and his facial expression held a very perplexed look at the empty shackles that hung on the stump. There was no way Hellscream would send the Troll all the way back to check on his dead prisoners, that was for sure. So why of all things was he here now?

Norivana reached out and grabbed Aitto's burly, furry arm, causing him to stop and turn as well. When he saw what she saw, he immediately tensed, nostrils flaring and eyes flashing with rage. Immediately, Norivana had an idea. Her ten years of combat training had definitely paid off.

"Aitto," she hissed as quietly as possible, and he glanced at her, listening intently as she continued, "You distract him while I stealth and catch him off-guard. He's got weapons on his belt. If I can nab one of those, he'll be putty in our hands. Use your shields to protect yourself from his spells as long as possible. Got it?"

Aitto nodded quickly, eyes trained on the oblivious Troll. Norivana steeled herself, inhaling a deep breath, and slinked into the shadows, concentrating on bending them around her so she would be invisible to the Troll. She had no armor on, just a silky white-blue (well, now sort of dirty) dress, and no weapons. If she could manage to succeed in this, it'd be a pretty entertaining sight to anyone who could possibly be watching: a muddy Blood Elf in a flashy dress leaping out of thin air and attacking a Troll.

_'Focus, 'Vana. Focus.'_

Norivana slid around the side of the Troll as Aitto made a loud sound, stomping his gigantic hooves on the ground as he approached the Troll. Immediately, Krazak'Zul was on his guard, holding up his staff at Aitto with an incredulous expression etched on his face.

"How did you survive?" was all the Troll could manage to sputter before Aitto crashed down in front of him, blasting him backwards with a blow of pure Paladin light force. Krazak'Zul managed to absorb a lot of the attack, but he still stumbled back before letting out an irate yell and pointing his twisted staff at Aitto, letting a jolt of shadow energy shoot straight toward Aitto's chest. Aitto held up his hands defensively, summoning another spell just in time to block the attack and encasing himself in a shield of light and taking a few more threatening steps forward. Even without his armor or weapons, Aitto was still a _serious_ badass.

In all this, Norivana had been doing her best to get close enough to the Troll without setting off his defenses. He had a second set of magical armor that seemed to almost hover over his own, and it gave off a negative aura so strong that it seemed to make Norivana's hand wilt when she brought it too close. It was as if it sucked all life from whoever got close enough. This was no doubt not going quite as well as Norivana had hoped it would.

Thankfully, and to Norivana's luck, Aitto finally managed to hit Krazak'Zul with a blast powerful enough that it actually knocked his magical shields out of sync, giving Norivana just enough time to whip her hands in and yank his knives off his belt.

One glance at one of the daggers in her hands confirmed that it was, in fact, the same dagger that had been used to cut her wrists. Unpleasant memories flashed back into her mind and she faltered momentarily, as it required all her willpower to not throw the knives down or cringe away from them. Krazak'Zul, as he sensed his weapons being ripped from their sheaths, regained his shields and actually intensified them, causing the aura to spread out at least ten feet around him. Now, it was hopeless for Norivana to get out in time, and before she could move, the aura whipped around her, breaking her stealth and causing her to crumple down onto her knees. At the sudden assault of decaying energy, it was all she could do to keep from blacking out.

Krazak'Zul let out a maniacal laugh, channeling a massive life-leeching spell straight at Norivana. She collapsed again, feeling herself weaken more and more as the Troll's spell stole her energy, her life force. She couldn't even stand by this point, completely vulnerable to Krazak'Zul's crazed attacks. If she had more energy, she could use her arcane torrent, but now she was helpless.

The Troll began to cackle. "Ya know, I came here to collect da pretty chains we used to tie da two of you up. But now, I might as well just take everything ya got, starting with da pretty clothes on yer backs. Once again, I win."

Norivana screamed as she felt the spell pulling at the only strength she had left. Krazak'Zul was right. He _was_ winning.

Aitto, recovering, let out a loud, menacing roar at the sight of Norivana's defeat, drawing Krazak'Zul's attention away and blasting him backward again, this time with so much raw force that it knocked the Troll clear off his feet, slamming him into the ground. Krazak'Zul flailed for a second before being forced into silence by yet another attack from Aitto.

In a few seconds Norivana felt a healing spell surge through her nerves, and that, combined with the absence of Krazak'Zul's deathly aura, renewed her strength and gave her a massive rush of energy.

Jumping to her feet with renewed strength and adrenaline coursing through her veins, Norivana let out a war cry and took a running leap at the stunned Troll, daggers at the ready. At that same moment, Aitto shot another powerful flare at him, effectively rendering his defenses inert and making him completely vulnerable to attack.

Norivana felt her blade hit home, hearing the satisfying sound of steel against flesh, knife versus bone, from the same knife that had been originally intended to take her own life. Krazak'Zul, frantically sputtering his last breaths, let out a panicked growl, which then died down and gurgled to a stop as his punctured heart failed him, and he lay there, limp and lifeless.

Norivana stood, releasing an adrenaline-packed breath.

She stole a glance at Aitto, who seemed to be in very much the same state as herself. He relaxed his arms, then let a smile creep onto his face, leaning back against a tree that rested by the road. Norivana let loose a grin. Even with the stress of what was going on in Raynewood, this was a _huge_ relief.

It was over. Krazak'Zul was dead.

Norivana knelt down next to the deceased Troll and pulled his backpack, coin purse, and weapons off of his belt, then stumbled over to Aitto, leaning on him for support. She felt suddenly drained, now that her adrenaline rush was depleting. Aitto put a big arm over her shoulder, giving her a rejuvenating heal that helped her a little, replenishing some of her strength.

After a moment, Norivana realized they were extremely far behind, and without speaking she started to walk down the road at a brisk pace. Aitto joined her, understanding that they would need to catch up with the other Druids if they wanted any chance at getting into Astranaar.

After a few curves in the road, Norivana and Aitto saw the group of elves, and they picked up their pace to catch up. Once they managed to reach the group, many of the elves gave the pair curious looks. Norivana had no doubt she looked strange; she had blood on her clothes and probably looked beyond exhausted. Her stealthing, along with the rush that was required to take down the Troll, had drained her energy, and Aitto wasn't a whole lot better, though he wasn't exactly covered in blood.

Lena caught sight of them and raised her brows, eyes widening a little. "What happened to you?" she asked, assessing their odd appearances with a smirk.

Aitto gave Norivana an amused look and spoke up, his voice rich but tired, "We... ran into an old friend."

Norivana snorted a laugh and Lena addressed Aitto quizzically, though obviously entertained, "I'd hate to see how you greet your enemies, then."

Aitto chuckled quietly and Norivana said nothing, and instead she paid attention to the road and the environment. They were approaching a tiny, yet heavily-guarded town, with armored sentinels and loaded glaives at more-or-less every entrance. In contrast to the military-style element, it also held a very tranquil setting. Small glowing lanterns hung from the archways and roofs of buildings, which were artistically crafted, the roofs having been adorned with purple and gold carvings. The ground was speckled with tiny flowers that blanketed the entire area, save for the stone-paved path that led through the town.

As they neared the front entrance, Lena motioned for the rest of the group to wait before she walked up by herself to meet with two sentinel women who stood at the gates. Norivana was unable to hear what they said, but after a moment Lena waved her hand to beckon them over.

Norivana and Aitto, followed by the other Druids, walked hesitantly to confront the guards, who watched them with intense, unfaltering gazes. Lena began to speak.

"These are the remainder of the Druids who did not join the fight in defense of Raynewood. Hellscream's army, if not defeated there, will assuredly come here next."

One of the sentinels replied sharply, still staring at Aitto and Norivana, "We do not offer aid to your kind," she snapped, and Lena took a step forward, glaring back at the sentinel.

"Get over yourself, woman. Focus on what's important. Right now, at this very second, a squadron of Hellscream's highly-trained soldiers is marching on Raynewood and will undoubtedly show up here next if we don't assess the threat. Now, you can continue this petty, juvenile behavior, or you can straighten up and notify your officers to prepare a defensive party against the impending attack. Choose wisely."

Lena was glaring down at the sentinel, who was also glaring back but beginning to fidget uneasily. Norivana stared in slight awe at Lena's unfaltering tenacity when under pressure as the Sentinel finally gave in and lowered her gaze resignedly.

"My apologies, Druid. Your tribe is welcome here temporarily while we assess the greater threat." The Sentinel glanced over to another guard and quickly nodded, sending her off to gather a troop. The woman looked back at Lena. "Speak to our innkeeper Kimlya. She will provide shelter and hospice for you and your people." The sentinel lowered her voice, and Norivana got the impression she wasn't supposed to hear this next sentence, "Keep an eye on those ones," she nodded slightly toward Norivana and Aitto, "They look a bit rough. One can never be too careful."

Lena stood a little straighter and spoke loudly, "These two saved my brother's life and nearly sacrificed themselves in the process. If that is not enough to earn my trust, I do not know what is. Anyhow, thank you for your gracious hospitality in our moment of weakness. We are forever grateful."

The Sentinel shook her head and took a step back, keeping her mouth shut, as opposed to retorting back at Lena. It was a well-known and quickly-learned fact that Lena was definitely strong-willed, and _not_ one to trifle with. If she had something she wanted to do, nothing anyone could say could stop her.

Lena nodded curtly at the Sentinel and returned to Norivana's side, head held high and determined. Norivana fell into step beside her. The rest of the Druids, along with a very tired-looking Aitto, had already made their way nearly to the inn, all of them silent and worried for their friends and family who were back at Raynewood.

"What was that you said back there? Lucian is your brother?" Norivana asked, and Lena gave her a nod.

"Half-brother, actually. Same mother, different father. Lucian is twenty-three years older than I am. Which, to most elves, wouldn't be saying much, but I am only seventeen, so it sort of is." Lena chirped, now in a much more positive disposition than before.

"Okay, so now I'm really curious," Norivana replied, "What exactly _is_ your story?"

Lena opened her mouth to reply, but was distracted as she saw a large troop marching out of a building on the far end of the tiny settlement. Norivana had seen enough of those banners to know they were Silverwing, but this was the first time she had ever not been expected to… kill them. That thought was oddly enlightening for Norivana, and after a second she knew what she needed to do. She nudged Lena's arm to get her attention.

"I want to go with them," Norivana said simply, knowing full-well that she would not rest at the thought of Hellscream's army having even the slightest chance of hurting her newfound friends. If she could help at all, she would.

Lena raised her long brows. "You have no armor or weapons."

Norivana held up the daggers she had taken from Krazak'Zul, having almost forgotten she had them in the pack that rested over her shoulder. They were both stained with dried blood, and Norivana winced at having forgotten to clean them. She held a high appreciation for all weapons, daggers especially.

"That takes care of the weapons department, I guess, but you may want to look again at what you're wearing. In case you forgot, you're in a dress." Lena was looking at Norivana amusedly.

Norivana groaned inwardly. She was getting antsy. The army was already halfway through the town, marching swiftly to the west.

"Well, I need to go. I'm useless here, and I won't stand idly by while other people risk their lives to save what they care about. Maybe the sentinels will let me borrow some."

Lena's eyes widened a little, "Oh, I wouldn't count on that. They're _very_ finicky of who they allow in their ranks. And a Blood Elf would most certainly not have a chance at that."

Norivana frowned, but then had an idea. It was a far-fetched, very risky, and very stupid idea, but an idea nonetheless.

"I'm going with them, whether they know it or not." Norivana finally huffed, and before Lena could reply, Norivana vanished.

Lena sputtered for a moment, completely at a loss. "What? Norivana? Where are you? What the hell are you talking about?"

Her words were lost on Norivana, who had already snuck into the base where the Silverwing soldiers had emerged. She was relieved that there were only a few elves in there, who were thankfully turned away, huddling at a table.

She quickly set to work rummaging through the armor stands, then pulled out a set of leather, shed her now-ruined dress, and donned the armor within a minute. The elves never noticed, even with the shuffling sounds of the armor being removed from its stand.

Tightening the straps as she ran out, she pulled the helm over her head, hoping desperately that she wouldn't be too obvious to the other elves. Her ears were a bit shorter and pointed more vertically, which could be a problem if any of the other elves stopped to study her. And, even if they couldn't see her face or the majority of her hair which was pulled up into the helmet, her eyes still shone through. Though she hadn't exposed herself to the green fel energy that the Blood Elves fed on for who-knows-how-long, they still glowed an almost sickly green. That alone could give her away in a heartbeat.

Still in her stealthed form, she swiftly made her way through the settlement and back to a still-very-confused-looking Lena. Norivana unstealthed and tapped Lena on the shoulder, who turned and for a second didn't recognize her. Norivana took that as a good sign.

"See, I told you, I'm going." Norivana said smugly, and Lena just let her mouth hang open. "Wish me luck!" Norivana called out as she jogged toward the troop of soldiers.

"How did you… I mean, why did… Well alright then. Good luck, I guess!" Lena called out, completely and utterly at a loss.

Norivana slid into line with the other elves, taking her place in the back. There were a few open spots in the lines of soldiers, and she utilized one by slowly but surely stepping into line with the others, acting like she'd been there all along. One elf glanced over slightly at Norivana's sudden appearance, but at the sight of Silverwing armor, turned her attention back to the front quickly.

_'I can't believe this is working_…'

Norivana marched with the guards, who were going surprisingly fast. It was only a matter of minutes before they came upon the path that led up the hill to the north, up to Raynewood Retreat. The morning was approaching just enough that everything was blanketed in a soft light, not yet lit by sunlight. If not for the impending battle, this would have been quite relaxing.

The sounds that carried to Norivana's ears were familiar, yet still sickening. War cries, shouts, loud savage roars, and clashing of steel echoed down through the woods. They got louder as the troop approached, and Norivana tensed, hands near her sheathed daggers and eyes alert.

The troop came upon a terrifying sight. Dead bodies littered the ground, though so far all of them were wearing the crude armor that screamed Horde. The Druids were relentlessly attacking, dodging swords and axes and snarling ferociously as they leapt at the throats of their enemies, ripping and shredding them into ribbons, despite the tough armor. Norivana glanced around but didn't see Lucian, and her heart sank, assuming he must have fallen already. That was not a good sign, as he was the strongest of the group. Without him, they were weakened tenfold.

The Druids were still quite outnumbered, at least two-to-one. It was apparent that the Horde hadn't expected such a resistance. Raynewood Retreat, according to the knowledge Norivana held prior to meeting the Druids that lived there, was supposed to be mostly bare. It had some Cenarion Druids and obviously Ordanus, but they had clearly not expected Lucian and his tribe. If they had, they'd have brought a _lot_ more soldiers.

At the sight of the battle, the night elves in the troop broke into a run, no longer worried about staying in a formation. It was an impressive sight, and Norivana paused a moment to watch as the Sentinels flanked the Horde troops, slicing straight through the crowd with their sharp, delicate, dangerous moonglaives. Norivana let out an intense yell and joined them, darting from soldier to soldier, cutting at the vulnerable points in their armor and taking each one down with swift blows to their most vital points. The Horde army may be mostly bulk, but that did mean they were slow, and due to her rogue speed, Norivana was able to shimmy around and get behind their defenses.

To her left, in the corner of her eye, Norivana saw the Lavender-haired elf that had found her and Aitto get cut down with an axe, which pulled the elf out of her animal form and sent her collapsing to the ground. Norivana sprinted to her aid, taking a flying leap at the elf's attacker and sinking her blade into his back. One look at the purple-haired elf made Norivana sick to her stomach. A huge, ugly gash was splayed across the elf's back and down her side, and she was bleeding badly.

For a second, Norivana thought she was dead, and she almost moved on, but the woman then shifted slightly, sitting up a little, and Norivana made it her mission to protect her. Any soldier who got too close was dead meat. She was thankful they were at the edge of the battle. If they had been in the middle of the fighting, she would have no chance at all of defending the elf from all sides.

One Orc in particular, though, was giving Norivana a run for her money. He was very large and very powerful, not to mention much quicker than the others. He approached them, thundering his way through the Sentinels, and circled Norivana and the downed elf. Norivana called to the elf frantically.

"If you can heal yourself, do it now!" she shouted, anticipating that the large Orc's attacks would be ruthless.

The injured elf did her best with a healing spell, providing herself with just enough that her wound was no longer open. She stood, trying to get enough strength back to switch into her feral cat form again. Norivana kept her eye on the Orc, who was giving her a wicked grin. Taking a deep breath, she launched herself forward, blades out, dancing around the Orc in a flurry of attacks. He was well-armored, and Norivana knew by the emblems on his tabard and belt that he was this army's commander.

The Orc swung his axe once, which gleamed sharply in the moonlight, and Norivana managed to duck. On the backswing, though, it came into contact with Norivana's helmet. Her vision went cloudy for a split second, the blow strong enough to knock her almost unconscious. The Orc pulled his axe back, which took her helmet off with it, and at the unexpected sight of a Blood Elf, he faltered, eyes widening. He lowered his axe just enough for Norivana to take advantage of it, and she leapt forward and kicked the axe far out of the Orc's grasp, slashing out her daggers at the same time. He let out a betrayed growl, both surprise and rage written on his face, and stumbled back, now unarmed.

"Traitor!" he bellowed, gaining the attention of a few of his soldiers. They dropped what they were doing and ran to his side, and Norivana's eyes widened in worry. Now, she was facing four adversaries, not one. She stepped back a little, glancing just slightly to make sure the injured elf was still behind her.

"Kill them both!" the commander shouted, his voice roaring over the sounds around them. The other soldiers advanced, and Norivana held up her weapons and continued to step back. Normally, she had never allowed herself to be seen by more than one opponent at a time. Her armor was not strong enough against so many, nor were her fighting techniques. She had been trained to kill from behind, to take out her foes before they even realized she was there. So this, fighting four people directly, was not boding well.

The lavender-haired elf was backing up as well, now side-by-side with Norivana. She was cradling her arm by her side, and Norivana noticed it was slightly misshapen, obviously broken. The elf would have no chance against these guys, not without help.

The four soldiers broke into a run, and Norivana held up her blades, doing her best to deflect the attacks against herself and the other elf, who shrieked and ducked out of the way just in time for a large blade to whoosh right where her head had been.

"Get back!" Norivana shouted, and the elf, who had proceeded to fall backward, began scooting away, backing herself up against a tree. Norivana continued to duck out of the way, throwing stabs where she could, narrowly missing the soldiers' necks and chests with her attacks. She knew this would be hopeless in the long run, but she wasn't going down without a fight, especially since she had someone else to protect.

The commander had retrieved his axe and joined the group, eyes flashing between Norivana and the other elf. He understood, finally, what Norivana was doing, and advanced forward, swinging his axe skillfully straight for her. She yelped and dodged to the side, and it glanced off her armor, leaving a gash in the leather. The Orc kept his eye on the prize, however, and before Norivana could regain her senses and get back into position, he had sent the point of his axe straight into the chest of the lavender-haired elf.

The elf screamed at first, but as the blade hit home, she faltered, eyes widening and then darkening, and she fell lifelessly to the ground next to the tree.

"No-!" Norivana shrieked, but her shout was drowned out by the loudest, most intense roar she had ever heard. It was then that Norivana finally saw Lucian.

A massive, vicious white feline leapt into view, maw opened in a furious snarl and gleaming, razor-sharp teeth glinting in the morning light. The commanding Orc only had a moment to adjust before Lucian's jaws wrapped around the Orc's neck and shoulders, and Norivana heard a loud crack, a crunch, of the Orc's bones snapping beneath the sudden force. The Orc let out a strangled cry and fell as Lucian landed on the ground gracefully, white fur splattered with dark red stains. His mouth was dripping with blood, and his glowing golden eyes were murderous.

He let out snarl at the other Orcs and advanced on another, killing him within seconds. The other soldiers' eyes widened in fear, and they started stumbling back, dropping their weapons and tripping over each other to escape. Lucian followed after them, disposing of them as well in a flurry of teeth and claws.

Norivana watched in awe and terror as Lucian stopped and turned, first looking at the lifeless body of the lavender-haired elf and then at Norivana. His mouth was still contorted into a snarl, teeth bloodied and eyes crazed. For a second, she was sure he was going to kill her right then and there. She was a Blood Elf, so of course it made sense.

To her relief he turned away, then took a running leap and threw himself at another enemy. Norivana reached out a shaky hand and sheathed one of her weapons. In this state, there was no way she could fight. Adrenaline, mixed with confusion, terror, and excitement, would render her completely useless against the war-frenzied Horde soldiers. She watched as the sentinels, along with the Druids, took down every single one of the Horde soldiers. And, amidst all of them, Lucian, the largest and most vivid cat there, was leaping from enemy to enemy, claws out and teeth bared. It was a truly _awesome_ sight, though terrifying and horrible at the same time. She had never been more afraid of a single person than right at that moment.

At the sight of the Horde soldiers falling in the clearing, instinct kept telling Norivana to go out there and fight with them, even with everything she had been through. It seemed almost unfair, especially now with the Silverwing Sentinels against them. They had no chance but to fight to their deaths. But, with much difficulty, Norivana was able to shake the pity she felt for the falling soldiers. They were her enemies now. She couldn't go back.

The fighting died down as the elves took down the final few soldiers, and what was left was devastating. Norivana felt her stomach lurch at the sight. It was carnage. Bodies from both sides littered the area, and Norivana sucked in a sharp breath at how few soldiers were remaining. It appeared four of the Druids had died, and the Silverwing Sentinels didn't look all that much better. What had started out as at least forty soldiers had been diminished to around twenty, possibly less.

The Druids phased out of their cat and bear forms, and Lucian stood in the middle, surveying the area, completely stoic. He didn't say anything, didn't do anything but stand there and stare.

Norivana took uneasy steps through the broken, scattered bodies. No one spoke for a moment in the eerily-peaceful silence. The sun had just begun lighting up the tops of the trees, and birds were singing daintily, giving great contrast to what lay beneath them.

Some of the elves were silently weeping, looking around at the blood bath that surrounded them. One of the Sentinels, apparently one of higher stature, finally spoke up after a long silence. "We need to give them their last rites and bury them."

Lucian raised his head, looking at her blankly, and nodded. Norivana was wondering how he was managing to keep such a calm composure. Just ten minutes earlier, he had completely lost his head when the lavender-haired elf died. Now, he was emotionless. Personally, Norivana was feeling a level of mourning and she wasn't even remotely as attached as anyone else here.

The remaining eleven Druids, along with the Sentinels, began removing the bodies of their comrades from the area and laying them side-by-side in a patch of lush grass and flowers beside the gigantic tree. Norivana felt out-of-place, as if her presence in itself was offensive. She had no idea what to do. Guilt washed over her as she thought about the countless times she had raided the corpses after a battle, giving no second thought to the fact that that person had friends, a family, and a life. She fidgeted and shifted her stance, wondering whether she should look away or not.

After placing a dead Sentinel in the grass, Lucian walked over next to Norivana to retrieve the lavender-haired elf. He gingerly picked up the body, cradling the elf in his arms, and started back toward the apparent burial ground. He paused by Norivana, though, and gave her a quick glance. She clenched her jaw.

"Come help us," Lucian murmured simply, and he then walked away from her, leaving her stunned.

_Help them? _Norivana thought, confused. _How?_

She shuffled over to Lucian dumbly, unsure of what to do, but he motioned for her to follow him and, when he reached another dead body, he pointed at it.

"Place her with the others," his deep voice was quiet, and it broke on the last word. His expression was void, but his voice certainly wasn't. Norivana knew now that this man was _definitely_ not okay. He was grieving, and badly so.

Lucian picked up a body and Norivana picked up another, and they continued that until every Night Elf had been placed in the grassy area.

The elves gathered in a wide circle around the bodies, and some of the Sentinels shot Norivana suspicious looks as she joined them. The Druids were evenly spaced around the circle, and what happened next took Norivana's breath away.

All at the same time, with Lucian leading the spell, the Druids raised their hands and began to gather a single spell that engulfed the bodies in a soft light. The grass grew longer and actually wove itself around the dead, over their limbs and across their entire bodies. A strange, cool light seemed to shine down out of nowhere, and Norivana, if she didn't know any better, could've sworn it was moonlight.

Lucian began a prayer, speaking so softly Norivana could not understand him. The other Druids joined in, and then so did the Sentinels. It sounded almost song-like, and Norivana, even with the Darnassian she could comprehend, was entirely unable to understand it. It was oddly beautiful though, a sad, melodic sound that seemed to embody the sorrow that the elves were feeling. It was all Norivana could do to keep from crying, and instead she tightened her brow, frowning, clenching her jaw and pressing her lips in a line.

After a while, they ceased the song, and Lucian raised his hands a little higher, followed by his other Druids. The grass that had wrapped around the bodies thickened, turning into vines that pulled them downward, deep into the earth. The glow from the spell intensified a little, and following that, small white delicate flowers bloomed in the place of the deceased. It was a bitter sight, but at the same time strangely peaceful.

After it was over, the elves stood in silence for a while, staring at the new graveyard that rested there. Lucian walked over behind the area and knelt there, motionless, focusing intently on something Norivana couldn't see. When he emerged, she saw that it was a small shrine, built from various plants and vines and roots that braided themselves to each other. The same white flowers that speckled the graves also bloomed on the shrine, tying it all together.

Without another word and after one last look at the graves, Lucian turned to leave, followed by his Druids, and then the Sentinels. Norivana walked next to him silently, and they all somberly made their way back toward Astranaar, completely exhausted.

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**Sad chapter, sorry guys. Next one: we get to learn a lot more about Lucian! **


	9. History

**Woooow, two updates in one day! What'll I think of next?!**

** I'm having so much fun with this story, and the fact that I get to share it makes it that much better. :)**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's mostly dialogue. Lucian time!**

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They reached Astranaar completely exhausted, dragging their feet and staring at the ground. Lucian was the only one who kept his posture upright, chin held up. Even so, Norivana could see he was hurting.

The Sentinels who had remained back in Astranaar stared on, horrified by how depleted the army was. Lucian and his remaining Druids, along with Norivana, made their way to the inn as the Sentinels headed back toward their keep. Norivana was slightly surprised that none of them had commented on her wearing their armor, but she thought maybe that was because it wasn't a priority compared to what had just happened.

At the sight of the weary, battle-worn elves, the innkeeper Kimlya rushed to their aid, providing them all with food and drink and allowing them to rest in the first floor for a while. None of them spoke, and many other elves who had been in the inn earlier watched them all with concerned gazes. Norivana accepted the food as well, though she had completely lost her appetite. The other Druids seemed to have done so too, because they halfheartedly nibbled at their bread and stared blankly at the floors.

Norivana saw both Unaril and Sarion sitting on a ramp next to each other, eyes strained and jaws tensed. Sarion's jet black hair was caked with blood, falling into his face and over his shoulders. Unaril had a gash on one side of his face that had been healed but the blood was still there. Their normally goofy dispositions had been doused, a sight that was almost more disconcerting than anything else.

Lucian, who had been sitting in a corner, stood up and quietly thanked Kimlya before heading up the ramp to the upper floors. Norivana followed him, knowing he might need someone to talk to. By now, she had learned that Lucian was definitely the sort to voice his feelings, not bottle them up: something new but very refreshing for Norivana.

Lucian glanced over at Norivana, noticing that she'd followed him, but said nothing and kept making his way upstairs. Norivana took that as a confirmation that she was allowed to accompany him and continued to follow. When Lucian reached his room, which was a small yet quaint room with a basic bed and table, he allowed her to enter and closed his door.

The moment he closed it, he broke. Letting out a large, angst-filled sigh that turned into an almost silent sob, he slumped down onto the edge of the bed, placing his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees.

"Holy hell," he murmured quietly, and Norivana pulled up a short chair from the table to sit across from him, deciding it'd be best to give him his space on the bed rather than sit right next to him. Realizing she still had an untouched glass of moonberry juice in her hands, she tentatively handed it to Lucian, who raised his head and took the glass, pursing his lips and leaning back. He was large enough that even sitting perpendicularly on his bed, he could still lean back against the wall and let his legs hang over the edge.

He took a small sip of the berry juice and set it down on the end table, an action Norivana read as not so much that he wanted to drink it, but that he needed something to distract him.

"Lucian, I'm so sorry. Anything I could say would be insufficient, but I just want you to know that if you want to talk about anything, I'm here." Norivana almost whispered the words, unsure of how he would react to them.

Lucian stared at her for a moment, his stoic expression finally breaking. He gave her a look of pure pain and let out a broken sigh.

"They killed them. They killed _her_. I can't..." he trailed off, glancing upward at the ceiling, trying to regain his composure. Norivana had never seen a man cry, but she was getting the impression that that fact was about to change. Norivana stayed silent, giving Lucian a sympathetic look.

Lucian ran his hands over his face, rubbing his eyes a little. He was shaking slightly, though Norivana couldn't tell if it was because he was tired or because he was so upset.

"I cannot, for the life of me, understand _why_ people do this. A war, a legitimate, logic-based war, I can understand. But why in the name of Elune would the Warchief send his troops to take a random, tiny settlement in the middle of nowhere? He's been doing that all over Ashenvale, and for what? For the lumber? Anyone with half a brain knows he can get his lumber elsewhere." Lucian was seething by now, baring his teeth almost ferally, producing sharp canines as he spoke. Norivana listened intently, unsure of how to respond, but Lucian was on a roll. He continued, this time with more ferocity, "That son-of-a-bitch has no idea what he's just done. He will suffer."

Norivana nodded at that, watching Lucian intently. "Hellscream will get what's coming to him, be it by our hands our someone else's. He will pay, no matter how long it takes."

Lucian sighed again, his rage receding a little, and he now spoke softer and more steady, "I fear he will send the full fury of his army now that he actually found resistance. This is bad. This is very, very bad. I don't know where I'll be taking my tribe, either. Elune only knows we can't go back, now that Ordanus is dead and the place has been ransacked and ruined."

Norivana's eyes widened. "Ordanus is dead? How?"

Lucian looked at her with sad eyes. "The Horde army flooded the large tree. I went in there to try to stop them before they reached the Keeper, but I failed. When I got to him, he had been overwhelmed. So I fought my way back out, and when I emerged, the Silverwing Sentinels had arrived. That's also when I killed their commander, the one who was attacking you."

"The one who killed the woman I was with..." Norivana murmured, and Lucian nodded painfully.

"Gladia was her name. We grew up together. She's the one who found you and Aitto."

"Yes, I remember that," Norivana nodded softly, and Lucian shook his head.

"Gladia was like a sister to me."

"I'm sorry, Lucian. I should have been more careful. I could have saved her, I really could have, if only I had been half a second quicker. If only I'd been stronger, she would be here. I'm just.. I'm sorry." Norivana had to bite her lip to keep her composure.

"No. It's not your fault, it's mine. I should have sent her to Astranaar, not brought her to fight. You fought well. It's the Warchief I blame, not you. Had you not been there, she would have never had that second chance."

Norivana looked down at her hands. A few moments passed, and she finally spoke up, trying to change the subject.

"You said you grew up with her. What was it like, growing up in the tribe?"

Lucian raised his eyebrows a little, relaxing slightly, almost even letting a smile reach his lips. "Well, it was... interesting. We started our Druid practice at a very young age, and that itself was most entertaining."

"I can only imagine..." Norivana said, smirking a little.

"It was even more entertaining because we don't go by the restrictions the Cenarion Circle keep, so our powers were unrestrained when we were mere children."

"Oh? How so?" Norivana asked, interested.

Lucian apparently seemed relieved to be talking about a light subject, and he spoke in a normal tone.

"We're kind of... Organic. If that makes sense. We're one-hundred-percent in tune with nature, and we aren't afraid of harnessing it to its full potential. Other Druids are taught to _ask _nature for favors, to not actually let it consume them. But our tribe, we _become_ nature. Does that make any sense at all?" Lucian said, doing his best to explain.

Norivana pursed her lips a little. "N...Not really, but I guess it kind of does."

"By opening ourselves up to the full vivacity of the wild, we allow it to consume every part of us, to become one with ourselves. It actually almost controls us, in a way. We don't care about "The balance of nature"," he said, using his fingers as quotes, "and instead, we feed into that chaos and allow it to run rampant, skimming off of its raw power as it goes. It's a risk, but it's worth it. To be that in-tune with the world, I wouldn't trade it for anything..." He thought for a moment. "When I left the tribe ten years ago, I was stunned at how _controlled_ everything is in the outside world. It was a big shock, discovering how tame the other Druids are." He chuckled as he spoke, and Norivana smiled too, relieved he was getting his mind off of his troubles.

"Why did you leave your tribe then?" she asked, intrigued by his story. He was openly telling her of his life, and she was quite ready to listen.

Lucian took in a deep breath, then let it out, gathering his thoughts. "I lived with the tribe for nearly thirty years before I left. It was kind of funny, really. I was actually in line to marry."

Norivana raised her eyebrows, giving him a sly look. "Oh really?"

"It's not what you think," he said with a soft smile. "It was an arranged marriage with Gladia, who as you know I hold absolutely no romantic ties with whatsoever. For me, that would be like marrying my _sister_. And that's just... that's just weird." Lucian squinted his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index before continuing, "So, after a long discussion with my mother, she told me that instead of marrying Gladia, who was just as opposed to the marriage as I would, I could be excused if I left. She told me to seek out my father, a powerful elf Mage in Stormwind. And so, without further ado, I left the tribe. That was ten years ago."

Norivana let out a whistle. "Did you ever return back to the tribe? I don't see why you would be in a Warsong Gulch battle if you were still with your tribe..."

Lucian shook his head. "After that battle, after you let me go last week, that was the first time I've been back with my tribe in ten years. Needless to say, it was an impressive homecoming on my part."

"No kidding..." Norivana was impressed. "What happened when you met your father then?"

Lucian smiled. "Oh, he had no idea I existed, so you can sort of guess how that went. When I arrived in Stormwind, I learned quickly that most people don't take kindly to a gigantic, wild-looking, unkempt, half-dressed Night Elf that doesn't even speak Common. But after asking around, I finally found some Night elves who quickly understood my predicament and took me to my father. He took it all in surprisingly well, and to my relief he actually took me in as his protege. He sort of works for the Alliance government as a... erm. He... does a lot of undercover work. He taught me almost every language you can think of."

Norivana squinted at him. "Every language? What about... Furbolg?"

Lucian gave her a smug look. "Actually the Furbolg speak Ursine, which I am quite fluent in."

Norivana grinned back. "Impressive.."

Lucian shifted in his seat and returned to his story. "I'm the spitting image of my dad, except he's... a lot older. Just looking at us, you can't tell that he's older, other than the fact that he's got a big fuzzy beard and he's shorter than me. And he's a frost Mage, so he's usually wearing the Mages' robes. That can make someone look older. I always tell him to stop cross-dressing because it'll attract the wrong sort, but he just won't listen..."Lucian let out a joking sigh, and Norivana giggled back.

"You speak warmly of him."

"He's a good man, and an even better father. I only wish I knew him when I was younger as well."

"What about your mother?" Norivana asked.

"You haven't met her yet. She's been gone, I guess, for quite some time. According to the elves of the Tribe, about six years. After I left for Stormwind, she and her new husband -along with a few other druids - left the tribe as well. I'm not sure where they went, but I do plan on finding her soon. My sister Lena would have gone with her, but she chose to stay, having been the only one in the Silverpaw line remaining in the Tribe."  
Lucian paused a moment, "The Silverpaws are the 'royal' family in the tribe. The original Druid who left the Cenarions was a Silverpaw, and since then, his descendants have taken up the Chieftain role. We used to hold elections, but everyone seems satisfied with the Silverpaws, so now it's just sort of a silent understanding."

"So your father isn't a Silverpaw then?" Norivana asked him, and he shook his head.

"No, he isn't. His name is Edoril Frostweaver, a name quite fitting to his Mage occupation, I think. My mother once told me that they met when he was sent on a mission to investigate the tribe. Apparently the tribe was causing a bit of an uproar within the Night Elves' society, what with deserting the traditional roles and disregarding the rules and whatnot, so to sate their demands, they sent my father to investigate.  
Upon his discovery of the Druids, he fell in love with my mother, aaaand that's where I apparently came into play. He was gone by the time I was born; I guess in order to keep the Night Elves from seeking out the tribe, he had to go back and give them false information. He claims he would have returned, but his duties at his position were too important to ignore. That, and the fact that he had no idea he had a son."

"It's like a forbidden love story," Norivana said dreamily, and Lucian snorted.

"Whatever you say. I think it's a bit too mushy-romance-y for my taste, but you're a girl, so it's to be expected that you'll like it." He was blatantly teasing her, and she frowned playfully.

"Hey!" Norivana complained, reaching out and jokingly swatting at him. He dodged and let out a laugh before recovering.

"So... I have a question, and it might sound kind of... weird." Norivana said hesitantly, utilizing this moment while Lucian was in a better mood.

"Ominous. Ask away," Lucian quirked a brow.

Norivana began stuttering, her face contorting distressedly. What if she somehow offended him? She had no idea what the Night Elf customs were, and for all she knew, she could possibly insult him. "Why are you... Er- I mean, uh..." She stuttered, and Lucian raised his eyebrows, cocking his head slightly at her, which only made this more difficult. "What I'm trying to say is..." she hesitated a moment, then said all the words extremely fast, "why-are-you-so-big?"

Lucian stared at her a moment, then let out a loud, hearty laugh that echoed through the small room. She laughed uneasily with him, unsure if he was laughing at her or at her question. Either one was sort of nerve-wracking.

Attempting to speak between fits of laughter, Lucian finally managed to speak. "Don't.. Don't worry! I'm not laughing _at_ you, I just..." He managed to regain his calm a little, and he spoke again, "The way you were acting before had me thinking I was going to have to answer some sort of awkward or personal question. Why am I so big? What do you mean, as in tall?"

Norivana snorted. "What else would I mean?"

Lucian shook his head quickly and smirked. "I'm so _tall_," he put emphasis on the word, "partly just because of genes, and partly because of my connection to nature. You have noticed that all the elves in the tribe are quite a bit taller than normal, yes? Well, that's why. I guess I just got lucky, and got the best of both worlds: Tall by default and tall by nature-sterroids. But if you ask me, being nine feet tall doesn't have many perks, other than people do give me a wide berth everywhere I go.."

"So it's that simple then? I thought maybe you made a deal with a demon or something," Norivana smirked, and Lucian made a face.

"That would be most unfortunate for me," he joked, "I hear demons are almost as frowned upon as crazy, nature-high druids."

Norivana giggled. She liked this side of Lucian. When he wasn't focused on anything serious or terrible, he was actually quite pleasant.

She thought for a moment. "So, I'm sort of wondering... Why _did_ you go to Warsong Gulch? And how in all of Azeroth did you manage to get knocked down? When I found you, I thought you were dead. I mean, Horde soldiers are just as formidable as anyone else, but still, you're immensely powerful, or so I've seen. It doesn't add up."

Lucian stretched his arms a bit and took another drink of the moonberry juice. "I headed out to Warsong because we got word that our troops were low and we needed backup. Most of our armies were preoccupied in other areas, many of them in Northrend, and we were painstakingly low on reinforcements. I went because I volunteered; they needed able-bodied men and women knowledgeable in combat, and I sort of fit the description perfectly. As for my getting knocked out, I'm not exactly sure how that happened.. I was healing a comrade, as that was my role then, and suddenly the next thing I know I'm waking up to you and Aitto discussing what you wanted to do with me. And that troll.." Lucian grimaced, repressing his memories of being tortured by Krazak'Zul. "He was... unpleasant."

"'Was' is the key word there. He's sort of dead." Norivana replied back.

Lucian widened his eyes. "What? Really? How?"

"Today, when we left for Astranaar, Aitto and I came across him at that fork in the road. And, well, he didn't make it."

Lucian snorted, blinking a few times. "Well that's a relief."

"Tell me about it..." Norivana said, rolling her eyes at the mere thought of the Troll. He had definitely been an issue. "Although I will say, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here. In fact, I'd probably still be stuck in Garrosh's army. He's the one who ratted us out to Garrosh for saving you."

"That's very... bittersweet." Lucian mused, and before he could repress it he yawned widely. "Anyways, it's probably eight in the morning, and that's way past my bedtime."

"Okay, weirdo." Norivana said, teasing him, though she too felt tired. Just the few days she had spent with the Druids had knocked her sleeping schedule way off-course, and she herself was becoming just as nocturnal as them. "Next thing you know you'll be sleeping upside down, hanging from the branches like a bat."

Lucian bared his sharp canines, "Not just a bat, but a vampire bat, thank you very much."

Norivana laughed aloud and stood, returning the chair to its place. Lucian stood as well.

"Thank you, Norivana. This was... nice." he said sincerely, opening the door for her.

She exited and replied, "Anytime. Thank you too, Lucian. I'll see you in the morning. Or.. I mean, night. I guess. I don't know. That's confusing.."

Lucian just chuckled at her rambling and waved goodbye as she turned to go.

"Goodnight!" he called, and she smiled back at him.

"Night Lucian."

Norivana made her way to the first empty room she found, which was identical to Lucian's but had different-colored bedding on the bed. She flopped down, exhaustion creeping over her, and passed out almost immediately.

* * *

**So this was more of a recovery chapter, nearly one hundred percent Lucian. We'll be meeting new people in the next chapter!****  
**


	10. Reunion

Norivana awoke sore and groggy. She had forgotten to remove her armor the night before, and the aches and pains in her limbs wouldn't let her forget that. She groaned and pulled herself out of bed, undoing the tight leather strapping that held her pauldrons, greaves, and gauntlets in place. Her chest armor, however, was tricky. Putting it on was one thing; taking it off was a whole new challenge in its own.

She got the armor halfway over her head, and somehow managed to become stuck, her arms frozen above her head and rendered immobile. She squirmed, becoming frantic, and let out a frenzied, frustrated grunt that sort of worked itself into a whine. She tried to bend over, hoping maybe gravity would do its part, but instead managed to smack right into the bed post, knocking herself sideways and proceeding to tumble onto the floor in a loud clatter.

Almost immediately, a knock came at her door, and she froze. If anyone came in right now, she'd never live it down. Here she was with a chest plate stuck over her head, arms held up uselessly. She probably looked ridiculous.

A voice traveled in through the door.

"Norivana...? Is everything alright?"

She recognized it as Lucian. Of course it was Lucian, it had to be him, of all people, to find her in her most embarrassing moments.

"Uh, yeah! Yes I'm fine!" Norivana called out shakily, attempting to stand, but she teetered over and smashed into the door, the metal on the armor making such a commotion that Norivana hissed through her teeth, freezing her movements again.

"Are you… Are you sure?" Lucian asked through the door, concern etched in his voice.

Norivana huffed. There was no way she'd be able to get this off now. She'd managed to somehow wedge her arms into a position that made it impossible to move them, and the armor was so tight around her shoulders that she had no hope of removing it herself.

"Well..." Norivana groaned, "Honestly, I maybe could use your help."

The door suddenly opened, and Lucian burst in with a worried expression on his face. He looked around frantically, but when his eyes fell on her, his face brightened and he nearly doubled over in laughter, bracing himself on the doorway for support.

"Now how, I wonder, did you ever manage to do this?" he asked gleefully, stepping in front of her and trying to figure out how to free her from her confines.

"I don't even know. Can you just pull it off?" Norivana grumbled, feeling the full weight of her embarrassment right then. She was a rogue. She was supposed to be quick, smooth, graceful, not some blundering idiot who can't even use her armor correctly.

Lucian placed his hands on both sides of the armor and pulled upward, shimmying it back and forth to loosen it from her arms. Finally, after some confusion, it released her arms and shoulders with a tug, and Lucian tossed it to the side on the bed.

Norivana straightened out her plain tunic, thankful she had made the decision to wear it when she had put on the armor. Otherwise, Lucian would've gotten quite a show.

Lucian grinned down at her. "All better?"

"Yes, thank you. Just for the record, that never happened."

"My lips are sealed," Lucian laughed, his eyes twinkling.

He seemed to have recovered quickly from last night, to Norivana's surprise. He had just lost four of his friends the prior day, and right now he appeared to be okay. Then again, she had learned that he was quite good at submerging his negative thoughts.

Norivana glanced around, suddenly feeling the need to get out in the open. She was in a tiny room, half-filled by a gigantic elf, and had just been stuck in a set of armor for longer than she cared to admit. Though she didn't normally get claustrophobic, she certainly was right now.

She cleared her throat. "Well, uh, I should go downstairs... Or something. Do you know where Aitto is?"

"He is downstairs as well. Though, if I were you, I'd prepare for a verbal beating. He is not pleased that you went to Raynewood last night without notifying him."

"Ah, damn it," Norivana made a face. She had completely forgotten to tell him about it. In her mind, when she'd left, she had just decided he was going to sleep and thought nothing of it.

Lucian left the room and Norivana followed him down the stairs to the base floor. Tables had been set up, and many of the druids were now eating there. Aitto stuck out like a sore thumb here. Amidst all the colorful elves, his pitch black complexion and gigantic size made him ridiculously conspicuous.

He was sitting almost in a corner, glaring at his massive folded hands, an untouched bowl of soup sitting in front of him getting cold. Norivana had half the nerve to just turn back around and go back to her room. Anything was better than confronting an angry Aitto. When they had been working as soldiers in the army, they hadn't been able to afford being angry at each other, because they didn't know what day would be their last together. So this was technically one of the first times he had ever been given the luxury of being angry at her for an extended amount of time. And Norivana had no doubt he'd take advantage of that.

When she walked fully into the room, Lucian placed a hand on her back and gave her an encouraging nudge, which should've helped, but it didn't. Aitto didn't acknowledge that she was there, rather he just sat there, continuing a glare that would make the lesser-willed wither.

Norivana shuffled over to his table and sat across from him, watching him intently. Lucian gave them their space and made his way over to sit with some of the druids who were eating their food at another table. At a glance, Norivana noticed they were all in higher spirits than before, and she wondered why that was. They had just lost loved ones; shouldn't they be mourning?

A loud rumble brought her attention back to Aitto, who was clearing his throat to speak. That action alone bought the curious glances of a few surrounding elves, and Norivana did her best to act nonchalant, though secretly she was having an internal heart attack. She had never been on the receiving end of Aitto's anger, not really.

His voice resonated through the hall, making Norivana shrink further into her seat. It was one thing arguing with him alone, but it was something completely different when they had an audience.

"Answer one question," he grumbled, his green eyes piercing her matching ones and startling her, "Why did you not tell me? Why didn't you give me the choice, the chance, to accompany you?"

Norivana squirmed in her seat. "Aitto, I don't really have a good explanation. Am I allowed to just say I forgot to tell you? That it didn't cross my mind?"

Aitto's eyes flashed angrily. "You forgot? You _forgot?"_He growled the words, clenching his fists on the table. Norivana shivered. This was _not_ good. And, to make things worse, he was growling in Orcish, which caused many of the elves around them to automatically bristle and grip their weapons. He wasn't yelling, but his voice itself was still loud enough to travel throughout the inn.

"If you expect that to sate my disappointment, you're worse-off than I thought. Your blatant disregard for my mental wellbeing is upsetting. Norivana, honestly, I don't understand what goes through your mind at times. I am your _healer_. My sole purpose in battle is to protect people. I defend. If you've truly forgotten that, I've no doubt you have lost all sense of reason." Aitto was speaking in level tones, but a very, _very_peeved undertone was peeking through, making his words terrifyingly powerful.

Norivana didn't say anything, just let the guilt engulf her. She felt like a scolded child.

Aitto continued his rant. "What makes me even more upset is that you actually nearly got yourself killed back there, according to your new elf friend. He says you were facing not one, not two, but _four_ soldiers in a frontal confrontation." Aitto held up his fingers as if he were counting, pointing to each one as he addressed an issue, "So let me get this straight. First of all, you abandon me in a foreign place with people I can barely understand, claiming you _forgot_ to tell me you were leaving. Then, when you're there, you nearly get yourself killed, if not for Mister Silverpaw's timely rescue. And finally, when you DO return, you _still_don't tell me what happened, leaving me to learn from the Night Elf that you had just rushed out to battle in the middle of the night without me by your side. You know, just a little respect can go a long way. And you have shown me _none._"

Norivana sat there a moment, staring back, speechless. Aitto _was_ mad, extremely so. And what made it worse was that he was perfectly justified. How would she feel in his place? She probably wouldn't even have given him an explanation to her anger, just would've pouted and fumed and ignored. Aitto was being surprisingly gracious in that field.

"I um..." Norivana paused, swallowing. What in the hell does someone say to that? "I'm sorry Aitto. I mean it. I can't change what I did, nor can I say I regret actually going out and fighting for the elves. But, I do regret not telling you and not taking you with me. I don't really know what was going through my mind when I left, other than the fact that Raynewood was under attack and I could do something to help. I'm sorry, I guess is all I can say. I'm really, really sorry." Norivana was speaking sincerely, hoping desperately that Aitto would know how apologetic she really was.

Aitto clenched his jaw, unspeaking, and leaned back in his chair. He seemed a little more resigned with the apology. Norivana waited a bit to see if he would reply, but he stayed silent. So, to escape this uncomfortable silence, she stood respectfully and left Aitto's table, approaching the innkeeper and doing her best to order whatever foods she had.

She ended up receiving some sort of fish meal, simple yet well-made. As she turned to find a table, she unexpectedly bumped into Lucian, who was standing right behind her with an empty plate.

"Whoa!" she yelped out, letting go of her dish and stumbling back instinctively. He whipped a free hand out and did his best to save her plate, grabbing it mid-air but letting some of the food fall off of it and onto the floor. He made a face.

"Damn it, sorry," he swore, meagerly handing her dish back.

"Don't worry, I just didn't know you were there. Thanks," Norivana took the food back, which sadly had lost a lot of the toppings. She made to find a table but Lucian stepped in front of her again, beckoning her attention.

"He'll come to. He already has, I think, but he's just chosen not to let you think that yet." Lucian was speaking in a reassuring tone, giving her a smile.

"You think so?" Norivana asked doubtfully.

"Well, don't look at him right now, but he sure doesn't look angry with you. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's the opposite." Lucian waited a moment before continuing, "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is the relationship between you two?"

Norivana felt relieved at his words but heeded them, making sure she didn't look back at Aitto. He's always been prideful, and she didn't want to take that away from him. If he wanted her to think he was mad, that's what he would get.

She turned to walk to a table and Lucian followed as she spoke, as he had managed to grab another full plate of food. "We've known each other for years. Ten, if I'm not mistaken. We've been joined at the hip since then. I was only eleven, and he was fourteen. He's more or less my brother. I think it's safe to say I have no family but him, not really."

By then they had sat down, and Lucian was across from her. He gave her a surprised look. "You do not seem as young as you claim to be, neither you nor Aitto. I would've guessed you were both at least twice the age you are."

Norivana squinted her eyes. "I'm... going to take that as a compliment."

"Oh no! Of course! I didn't mean that as an insult! I mean, I didn't- I wouldn't-.. " Lucian looked trapped, eyes wide and hands fidgeting, obviously doing his best to save face.

Norivana broke into a quiet laugh. "I know, Lucian. It's fine. I understood you perfectly."

He sighed at her and shook his head, relieved, and took a large bite of his food. Norivana followed and savored her bite. This food was extremely strange, but it was wonderful. She swallowed before attempting to speak.

"So, do all of you elves have really, really good food, or am I just lucky?"

Lucian laughed. "I suppose it is quite good, isn't it?"

"It's amazing," Norivana sighed, savoring the freshly-filleted fish sprinkled with pepper and seasoning unknown.

"Mm. Yeah, sorry I sort of threw half of it on the floor earlier. Otherwise it'd be even better." Lucian quirked, giving her a slight smile.

Norivana thought for a moment. "No, I've decided throwing it on the ground is your own strange method of food preparation, and you just decided to give me the benefit of experiencing that in action." She raised her arms up slightly in a mock-cheer, "All hail Lucian, destroyer of tasty foods!"

Lucian stared at her with both amusement and exasperation. "...What?"

Norivana put her hands back down at her sides and looked at her plate. "Oh, nothing, just my inner weirdo clawing its way out for a moment. Please disregard."

"You are an exceptionally odd Blood Elf, Norivana," Lucian stated, now grinning at her.

Norivana quipped back, "You're not such a normal Night Elf yourself, Lucian."

Lucian chuckled. "Touché."

Norivana gave him a smirk and continued eating, and she looked around at all the other Druids and other elves that were sitting in the room. A few of the Druids looked familiar, but Norivana hadn't been able to take the time to learn their names; the only ones she knew of that were here were Lena, Lucian, Sarion, and Unaril. Lena and the two men weren't there, so she supposed they must be sleeping still or out doing who-knows-what. What _do_ they do in free time?

Lucian brought her out of her thoughts. "So, I've been thinking..."

"Uh oh," Norivana interrupted, teasing him.

He rolled his eyes with a smirk before continuing, "I've been _thinking_, that maybe it would be best if you stayed with us a little longer. As in, perhaps a more permanent basis. My tribe will be relocating, and I just think it cruel to send you off into the world as an outcast of both Horde and Alliance. I'd much rather you stayed with us."

Norivana made a face. "Listen, Lucian, I understand you want to help us, and I thank you _so_ much for that, but do you honestly believe Aitto and I could blend well with your Druids?"

"Oh sure!" Lucian waved his hand dismissively, "In fact, if you want, you could _be_ a druid."

Norivana nearly inhaled her mouthful of fillet. She choked a second, then took a sip of water. "Wh-what?" she sputtered, wiping her mouth.

Lucian raised his brows at her, "Yeah, of course. I mean, it'd take a _ton_ of training, not to mention you would need to undergo some massive alterations to your lifestyle, as well as you'd have to get rid of that whole.. Fel-energy-glowy-thing you've got going. But yeah, I mean anyone can be a druid with enough time." He nonchalantly took a sip of his drink.

"I don't want to be a druid!" Norivana stammered, unsure of whether she was more surprised that he'd offered it, or that he had been so calm about the whole thing, as if it wasn't a big deal.

Lucian laughed cheerily, "You don't have to, Norivana! My goodness, it was only a suggestion!"

"I know! That's not it, I'm just surprised you offered to teach me that when you've only known me for such a short amount of time!"

Lucian was about to reply, when his eyes wandered up behind her and his face lit up, and he stood, nearly knocking his chair down behind him. Norivana curiously looked behind her and saw a man approaching, and for a moment she thought her eyes were deceiving her.

"Lucian?" she questioned before she could catch herself, the mere idea seeming absolutely ridiculous. How could Lucian be walking into the inn, when he had just been sitting in front of her? Her logical thoughts caught up with her then, and as she paid more attention, she realized it wasn't him. As the man neared, she saw he was just a bit smaller, with dark flowing robes that reflected the light of the lanterns and seemed iridescent. He had long white hair and a full beard, and his eyes glowed of pure silver. He definitely looked and acted a lot more like the traditional Night Elves.

Lucian, the real Lucian, walked around to greet the man, pulling him into a gigantic hug. Then, to the man's apparent surprise, Lucian lifted him a few inches off the ground before setting him down, laughing loudly and giving the man an affectionate shove to the shoulder. Suddenly, it clicked. This must be his father! Why, of all things, was he here?

The man's voice, which in itself sounded a _lot_ like Lucian's, boomed out. "The reports from the battle said you were killed, son."

Yep, definitely his father.

Lucian gave him an apologetic look. "I myself didn't expect to survive."

His father, who if Norivana remembered right, went by the name of Edoril, replied, "Ah, and there's the big question. What happened?"

"I was defeated in the battle, and thankfully was supposed dead for the remainder of the battle, whereas I actually had just been knocked unconscious. When I woke afterward, I was a captive of a Blood Elf, a Troll, and a Tauren. They were planning on taking me back to Orgrimmar."

"Ah, so that's how you escaped? Impressive, taking on three of them." Edoril mused, folding his arms.

"Er, no, actually, that's not it. The Blood Elf and the Tauren set me free."

Edoril snorted. "They did what? Freed you? On purpose?"

Norivana stood then, approaching them. "On purpose," she called out, and the two men turned to look at her, Lucian giving her an amused look and Edoril sending her one laced with concern.

"What is the meaning of this, Lucian?" Edoril whispered, cautiously regarding her approach. He stood his ground, not cowering or breaking into a defensive stance.

"She saved my life," Lucian said coolly, then nodded his head toward Aitto, who Norivana had nearly forgotten had been in the room, "As did he."

Norivana was now standing in front of both of them, smiling as brightly as she could. "Edoril Frostweaver, I presume? Pleased to make your acquaintance. I must say you're much more intimidating than Lucian described."

The corners of Lucian's mouth twitched, fighting a smirk. Edoril's eyes widened and he glanced between the two, surprise etched on his features, obviously thrown off by Norivana's confidence and relaxed stance.

"I... Indeed." Edoril replied, "And what might I call you, little elf?"

"I am Norivana Sunstepper, and the large, angry bull over there is Aitto Thunderhoof. Don't worry, he is generally very laid back. He's just angry with me at the moment."

Edoril quirked his eyebrows, glancing over at Aitto, who had begun watching them all intently, "I'll.. take your word for it."

Lucian spoke up. "So, what brings you to Astranaar? I thought you were on an intel mission in Hellfire."

"Well, when I got word that my son was dead, I dropped everything and went to Stormwind to retrieve your remains and belongings, as is traditionally expected. But when they said you weren't found among the dead, and then this morning I get word from the Silverwing Sentinels that you had led a successful defense in Ashenvale, well, here I am."

Lucian blinked a few times. "Wow, Father, I'm sorry you had to do all of that…"

"Are you kidding me?" Edoril snorted, "My boy is alive! What could I possibly have to complain about?"

Lucian let loose a grin and reached out and unceremoniously ruffled his gigantic hand over his father's tame silver mane, giving Edoril a quick noogie. Edoril let out a loud laugh and ducked away, though much too late, as he now had a nice-sized tangle on the top of his head.

As Edoril began an attempt to smooth his hair, Norivana watched in wonder of these two, as did many surrounding elves, which gave Norivana the impression that this wasn't typical Night Elf behavior. She decided it'd be best to give them their space, in case they needed to discuss anything alone, and she went over to sit by Aitto.

Aitto, when he realized she was walking over, composed himself quickly and put on a very bland expression, which Norivana saw right through but she didn't say anything. Yeah, he'd forgiven her already. What he was doing now was his attempt at teaching her a lesson, but she personally found it funny. Aitto didn't know _how_ to be mad at her, and that was showing.

She gave him a bright smile and sat facing him, placing her chin in her hands and watching him. He squirmed a moment uncomfortably, doing his best to keep a straight face, but finally broke and shook his head, letting one side of his mouth turn up ever-so-slightly in a smile.

"You're hopeless, you know that?" he grumbled amusedly, still attempting to hold onto _some_ dignity but failing.

Norivana grinned at him, then took a sip of his drink.

He continued speaking, "So, who is that?" He motioned toward Edoril, and Norivana realized that Aitto was completely clueless with most of what was going on.

"Lucian's father, Edoril Frostweaver. He's a mage. He came here once he heard Lucian was still alive. He thought Lucian died in Warsong."

Aitto shook his head. "Strange, isn't it? That through one simple choice, so much can change?"

"What do you mean?" Norivana cocked her head.

"If we had not spared Lucian's life, none of this would have happened. If Lucian had died, most – if not all – of his tribe would be dead, and we would still be back in the army. For all we know, we could've been placed in the troops that attacked Raynewood Retreat. One life can make a big difference."

Norivana blinked. "You know, Aitto, you can be surprisingly profound at times."

"A bit of a contrast to my big, fuzzy appearance, huh?" Aitto chuckled.

"'A bit' is an understatement," Norivana smirked back.

Aitto's eyes traveled up behind Norivana and she followed his gaze, turning, and saw Lucian and Edoril approaching. Lucian plopped down a seat next to her and Edoril walked around the table, sitting cooly next to Aitto. Edoril was big, but not as big as Lucian, so sitting next to Aitto made him look tiny. Edoril turned to Aitto and gave him a cordial smile.

"Aitto, I presume? I hear you played a part in saving my son's life, for which I am forever grateful. It takes a good, brave heart to do something like that, and I have no doubts you live up to that standard and then some. I am Edoril Frostweaver, by the way." Edoril spoke perfect Orcish, then held out his hand to shake Aitto's.

Aitto stared at him, dumbfounded, and then hesitantly held out his hand, shaking Edoril's. "Nice to meet you," he mumbled.

Lucian, who had been watching the two with a smirk, spoke up. "My father and I have been discussing your wellbeing, and he says he thinks the best bet for you two is to accompany him to Stormwind. He has friends in very, very high places. As in, royalty-high places." He winked at Edoril.

Edoril smiled and shook his head exasperatedly at Lucian, then turned his attention to Norivana. "What he means is, I work under King Varian Wrynn. He and I are, in a way, friends, and I think with my input and good word, he will be more lenient to accept you. Although he may be hesitant, I do believe that if he was the one to grant you some sort of pardon and would place you under Alliance protection, you would end up doing quite well for yourselves. He is a man of reason, and one thing he values above most is peace, which lies just below loyalty to the Alliance. If you could manage to express both of those, well, I think that would definitely work out to your favor."

"So… What, you're suggesting we just waltz up to the King and ask him if we can join his merry band of misfits?" Aitto cut in, face scrunched in disbelief.

"That is precisely what I am suggesting." Edoril replied calmly and with a cool smile.

No one spoke for a moment until Norivana broke the silence. "Alright, then. Cool. Stormwind. Never been there… So when do we leave?"

Edoril shrugged, "Whenever you're ready. How does tomorrow sound?"

Norivana nearly choked. "Tomorrow?! Why so soon?" she squeaked.

Lucian glanced at her with an entertained expression, "Tsk tsk, and I thought you weren't one to get sentimental. Has Astranaar finally gotten to you?"

"What? No! It's just... I didn't expect to be going there _tomorrow,_" she retorted quickly.

Edoril butted in, "Hey, I did say 'Whenever you're ready', so take all the time you need."

"I don't mind going tomorrow," Aitto shrugged, and Norivana realized he probably wanted to get as far away as possible from this nocturnal elf town.

Norivana hesitantly agreed. "Well, if Aitto's good with it, I guess there's nothing holding me back."

Lucian and Edoril grinned at the same time, and it felt almost like Norivana was seeing double.

"Great!" Lucian chimed out, and Edoril continued, "Stormwind, here we come."


	11. Portal

**Hey all, sorry this is somewhat slow-building - at least in these past two chapters, in my opinion. **

**We'll be picking up speed soon enough. :D**

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The next day, Norivana barely spent any time packing because, well, she had nothing to pack. She did still have Krazak'Zul's daggers, along with his backpack and coin purse, but the backpack just had some empty runes in it and had for the most part been emptied, with nothing but small crumbs and remnants of spilled potions and whatnot. She contemplated just tossing it, but instead decided to keep it as an almost token for herself. When Aitto had asked her about it, she only replied by saying it would serve as a reminder of why she left the Horde in the first place. He couldn't argue with that.

The coin purse had a surprising amount of money in it, at least two hundred gold sovreigns. There was no way this Troll could've made that much money _anywhere._ Then again, she thought, maybe it was a part of Garrosh's reward for turning in the traitors. Only explanation. Either that or he was some sort of extortionist, and honestly, that was ridiculous. He wasn't smart enough for that.

Norivana was thrilled with the money, though. There was a leatherworker in the town, so she visited him and managed to purchase a full set of decent armor with just a few coins. The armor pieces weren't enchanted with anything special, and they were nothing like the Silverwing suits - which, by they way, she had returned to the Sentinels and had received very cross looks in the process - that had been nearly as good as her own personal ruined set. But, they would suffice for the time being.

As she prepared for Stormwind, both physically and mentally, Lucian and his father stayed down below. Norivana and Aitto were out of sorts because they had barely gotten any sleep; they would be switching back to a normal, more diurnal sleeping schedule now that they were leaving Night Elf territory. Norivana hoped to herself Lucian was out of it too; that'd make her feel a little better, like she wasn't just some pansy without her sleep.

Norivana exited her room with her pack full and rugged leather armor newly fitted, and at the end of the hall she saw Aitto speaking with Lucian and Edoril, who must have come upstairs just a few minutes ago. She made her way over to them and they paused when they saw her.

Aitto gave her a smile. "Master Frostweaver will be creating a portal straight to Stormwind for us. No hippogryphs or ships required."

"Oooh, very nice! I don't remember ever using a portal before. Sounds interesting!" Norivana replied excitedly.

"It's actually quite smooth. One moment you're here, and the next, you're not. You may feel a strange tug as you walk through it though. The tug gets stronger the further you port from; something about having half of your body in Ashenvale and the other half thousands of miles away in Stormwind could be the cause. With the Outlands portals, it can be brutal. I've never thought to take time to test it..." Edoril was musing, and Lucian smirked at his father.

"The poor old man gets hopelessly lost in his reverie. It happens more often than not. Ignore him if you want. I know I do." Lucian's eyes twinkled.

Edoril brought his attention back and gave his son a joking glare and elbowed him. Lucian let out a surprised yelp that turned into a laugh and shoved back, and they started a silent elbow-battle. It eventually escalated into a full-on wrestle, where Lucian and his father were practically grappling on the floor, though both of them were laughing hysterically and making very loud sounds as they slammed each other into the walls and floor.

Norivana opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find words. She stood back next to Aitto, who was laughing harder than she had ever seen him laugh in his life.

This was the second time two elves had begun wrestling in front of her, but both times they hadn't been angry, like the Orcs and Trolls would've been back home. These people are so _strange..._

The sounds brought up an unfamiliar but very timid-looking lady elf who, at the sight of the two gigantic white-haired elves battling it out with a massive Tauren and an armored Blood Elf as an audience, let out a surprised squeak and nearly tumbled down the stairs in fright. She started mumbling incoherently, frantically, and seemed to be frozen in place.

Edoril and Lucian paused mid-shove and stood up quickly, addressing her with comforting smiles, and Edoril walked calmly to her, smoothing out his robes and hair. He somehow managed to calm the woman down, and he led her back down the stairs, one hand supporting her and the other holding her hand.

Norivana felt bad for the poor girl. The elf's eyes were wide as saucers, and she had begun shaking profusely until Edoril had been able to comfort her.

This made Norivana wonder what it'd be like in Stormwind. If Night Elves couldn't handle the sight of the four of them, how would the rest of the Alliance races react? Fear? Anger? The thought stressed her.

Lucian glanced at her and she must have had quite a grimace, because he gave her a concerned look, drawing Aitto's attention as well, and the both of them inspected her quizzically.

"What's wrong?" Aitto urged, and Lucian cocked his head, he too wondering the same question.

Norivana recovered her expression immediately and huffed a little. "Nothing, I'm just worried about going to Stormwind is all. It's a little nerve-wracking."

Lucian gave her a consoling smile and Aitto put a big arm over her shoulders. "Don't worry, 'Vana. We'll be perfectly fine. Remember what they said about Edoril being their King's friend? You've got nothing to worry about under his protection. Plus, he has already sent word to their king that he's bringing you, so the guards there will know not to attack us or anything."

Norivana returned Aitto's hug and sighed a worried breath. "If the King is anything like Garrosh, I'm not so sure I'd like to go see him, though."

Lucian shook his head quickly. "Oh, no, he will be a breath of fresh air, I assure you. Although he is intent on protecting his people from the Horde attacks, he does have a soft spot for anyone who requires aid, especially if it's against Garrosh. Plus," he gave them both a cheerful smile, "His best friend is a blood elf."

Norivana raised her eyebrows, standing up a little taller. This was interesting news. So it appeared King Varian _was_like they said: always willing to compromise for peace, regardless of race. She suddenly held a slightly higher respect for the man, though so far she hadn't had reason to hold any. She would still have to meet the man to be sure, not to mention she knew Blood Elves didn't always mean a good thing.

"From what I've heard, he is almost Garrosh's opposite," Aitto added. He then changed his approach. "So, this 'King Varian Wrynn'," he continued jokingly, "he doesn't brainwash his soldiers through hatred and spite? He doesn't revel in the mass genocide of an entire faction, like Garrosh?"

Lucian snorted. "If King Varian could help it, there would be no factions."

"Can't agree more." Norivana mumbled.

Lucian turned to Aitto and quipped, "When you said, 'brainwash', you don't mean you two have been...?"

"What, are you asking if we're psychotic killers, secretly plotting the demise of everyone around us?" Norivana cut in, and Lucian gave her a wily look.

"Well, are you?"

Norivana was about to retort a big fat 'no,' but then decided two could play at this game.

"Hmm. Well, as a child, I always used to dream of chopping the heads off of worg pups. Might've done it once or twice. That's not an early sign of being a serial killer, is it?"

Lucian suddenly bristled at her, wide-eyed and horrified. "What?!"

Aitto couldn't help it and burst out laughing, stepping back and placing a forearm over his face in an attempt to hide the laugh but failing. Norivana was pleased he had at least waited for Lucian's horror to kick in before he had given it away. Norivana joined in with a laugh, and when Lucian finally understood it was a joke, his face went from terror-stricken to annoyed.

"I can't believe I fell for that," Lucian grumbled, kicking his heavy boot against the floor. "You two have a very strange - no, that's too basic.. _creepy -_ sense of humor."

"You'll get used to it eventually, especially now that we're sticking around. When we aren't being tortured or forced to kill you, we can be quite fun." Aitto chuckled, patting Lucian on the back with one big whack, which would've sent a smaller elf flying, but Lucian barely flinched.

Lucian shook his head, smiling. "Just as long as you're not doing... whatever Norivana was talking about, then I'm content."

"Lucian," Norivana began on a more serious note, and he turned and regarded her expectantly with intelligent eyes. "What happens to your tribe when you leave with us?"

He paused a moment. "Lena is old enough that she, with the help of some of the older members, will be running it. I _was_ gone ten years, remember? They will be fine. And, surprisingly, the elves here are welcoming them despite their differences, so the tribe will remain in Astranaar until Lena can find a more suitable area."

"That's a relief."

"Indeed." Lucian's ears perked up at the sound of Edoril beckoning them downstairs, and he clapped his hands together once and gave them an excited grin. "Time to go!"

Norivana took a deep breath and followed him. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they were cut off by a very mischievous-looking duo.

Sarion was standing in the way, and Unaril was behind him. Unaril stepped forward and gave Lucian a cheeky grin.

"You didn't think you were leaving without us again, did you, Chief?"

Lucian groaned. "You can't come, Unaril. Nor you, Sarion. It will already be enough excitement bringing two Horde soldiers into Stormwind, and I don't need a pair of wild, boisterous twins causing trouble every two seconds as well."

Both men simultaneously gave Lucian the most crestfallen, pitiful pouts that Norivana had ever seen. Lucian grumbled a curse under his breath before letting out a sigh.

"Ugh. You two are helpless..." He groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "Fine. But if you come, you must behave. Understand?"

Sarion and Unaril whooped loudly and Sarion looked to his right and snapped a finger, looking extremely surprised. "Oh look, how convenient," he said with an overabundance of astonishment, "I just happen to have all my things packed right here around the corner. And... What? Unaril too? What are the odds?" Unaril snickered at his twin and picked up his pack.

Lucian squinted his eyes at the two, giving them a silent warning as he descended the stairs and made to find Edoril. Norivana was biting her tongue to keep from laughing at the twins - apparently, that's what they were. Lucian loved them and they knew it, and they were _so_ taking advantage of it too.

Edoril was standing just outside the inn expectantly, and Norivana felt a surge of excitement. This was really happening. They were going to actually go into Stormwind, meet their king, and petition to be a part of the Alliance. A risky move, in her opinion, but Edoril seemed quite convinced it would work out. And from what Norivana could tell, he was very, very smart.

As they gathered around, Edoril took a second to explain. "When I open this portal, it will only last approximately sixty seconds. On the other side, you will find yourselves in a Mage tower in Stormwind. Wait for me there. I will remain until last, just in case I have to open another portal."

Lucian leaned in and whispered something to his father, and Edoril nodded, looking pleased. "Actually, yes. If you helped, the portal would be stronger and it could last twice as long."

Norivana scrunched her nose. How would Lucian help with a Mage's portal? He's a Druid... Right?

To her surprise, Lucian clapped his hands and rubbed them together, then held them out in front of him as if he were preparing to cast a spell, rolling his shoulders once and cracking the joints in his neck. Edoril held his hands out as well, though not taking such a relaxed approach as Lucian. They both, on countdown, began muttering something under their breaths and after about ten seconds, a gigantic, swirling, vertical pool of light shimmered into view.

Norivana let out an almost terrified squeak, not because of the portal, but because it had worked. Lucian had obviously helped, and she didn't like that. Arcane magic does not blend with Druidic.

All of the elves and Aitto turned to glance at her and she straightened up and spoke in dignified tones.

"I can go first," she sniffed, doing her best to prove she wasn't afraid of the portal, as they all were clearly thinking. Aitto did his best to stifle a smirk, but she noticed it and shot him a glare. He bit his lip but kept the smirk.

Lucian, who was also grinning, stepped suspiciously around behind her. "Sounds great. In you go!" And with that, he grabbed her sides and lightly tossed her forward easily, straight through the portal, to her dismay.

She let out a shriek of surprise, which only lasted a second before she felt that 'tug' that Edoril had warned about. It wasn't exactly a physical pull, nor anything mental. It was more like when a person gets that weird feeling something's behind them, and their hair raises on their necks and their nerves tingle, and then comes that weird non-graceful shiver that runs down the spine. It was like that. Not really a 'tug', but whatever.

She hit a carpeted floor and rolled once to refrain from injury. Her newly acquired backpack had fallen off when she hit, and the coin purse and a few wrapped pieces of various foods clattered out onto the floor. She was inside a dark stone room, surrounded by what she could only guess were Mages, and to her surprise one at the far end was a blood elf. They all gave her peeved looks, as if her unconventional entrance was somehow interrupting their daily routines. She stood up and retrieved her pack, shoving everything back inside quickly, not caring what pockets each item went in.

To her left, Sarion stumbled through the portal, followed by Aitto, then Unaril, then Lucian, and finally Edoril. It seemed everything had all worked out quite smoothly, but Norivana had a score to settle. She had been humiliated, and someone was about to pay. She stood up, fuming, and shoved her way past Aitto and Unaril, stomping right up to Lucian.

"You!" she gritted out, and he shrugged his shoulders, grinning down at her mischievously.

"Me," he replied back with a smug laugh.

She growled, punching a small fist at one of his arms. "You... You jerk!" she sputtered angrily, sending another punch. "What was going through your mind?" She then did her best attempt at an exaggerated 'Lucian' voice, "Oh, hey, someone volunteered to go first. Let's THROW THEM THROUGH A PORTAL!" By the end of the sentence, she had returned back to her own voice, which was raising octaves.

Lucian raised his hands innocently, "Hey, in my defense, I totally thought that was how we're _supposed_ to go through portals! Can't blame me for my ignorance!" Unaril and Sarion both snickered in the background, and she sent them glares before returning her attention to Lucian.

She glowered at him. "That is _so_ not true. Just so you know, I'm not speaking to you again. Ever." With that final word she stormed off, Lucian's final facial expression sticking in her mind and giving her a little sense of triumph. His teasing grin had vanished and he had given her a look of such worry, as if he finally realized 'Hey, she's actually a little mad'. Men can be so dense at times.

She walked over to Edoril, who looked at her her apologetically before he spoke, "I'm sor-"

"Don't you apologize for him," Norivana interrupted Edoril, shaking her head and rolling her eyes, "I'm waiting for him to do it himself."

Edoril sighed with a laugh. "Alright. But, I will say, he's almost as stubborn as I am."

"More of a challenge for him then," Norivana mumbled, folding her arms and smirking.

Edoril chuckled. "Yes, I suppose so." He then stood up a little taller to speak with everyone. "I'm giving us all a day before we go to the King. I set up rooms for all of you in an inn called the Golden Keg, which lies in the Dwarven district. After you've all gotten settled there, I've got to go to the keep and take care of some business regarding the attack in Ashenvale."

Norivana glanced over at Lucian, who had been chatting it up with Aitto, Unaril, and Sarion. They all gave Edoril a nod after he was done speaking, and Lucian shifted his packs, beckoning everyone to follow.

"Stick with me, unless you want to get lost," he made eye contact with Norivana, who quickly averted her gaze and crossed her arms, pursing her lips. She decided she wasn't sure how much she truly actually liked Night Elves. Or, at least, Lucian.

As they all turned to leave, she smoothly fell into place next to Aitto, who gave her a quick reassuring smile and kept walking. They made their way out of the tower and onto a large ramp, and the sight that met Norivana's eyes nearly took her breath away.

A massive, beautiful city spread out before them, surrounded by mountains on two sides, and an ocean on the other. And because she was so high up in the tower, she could nearly see across most of it. A gigantic cathedral rested in the middle, sporting a bell tower that proudly held a tapered flag on its peak. People were swarming the place, though most of them in the front district, where she supposed was some sort of market. This place looked a lot more like the castles she had seen in picture books as a child, the castles she used to wish she could visit. Huge banners were draped along the stone walls, and to her right she saw that two of the towers had been destroyed, though they were in the process of being rebuilt, and beyond those stretched a long pathway with gigantic statues on both sides.

On the far end, she saw a huge, fortified area rising up against a mountain, and she couldn't help but wonder if that was where the King was. It was undoubtedly the most protected area there, so it would make sense.

This was a large contrast to Orgrimmar.

Aitto was staring too, as were the twins. Norivana got the impression that Unaril and Sarion had never been anywhere but Ashenvale, so this was all a big change for them too. Edoril took a deep, content breath, relaxing in the place he called home. Norivana didn't pay attention to Lucian, though. He could be dancing on his head, for all she knew. Honestly, though, she had a lot to ask him about, starting with how the heck he managed a Mage portal. Her pride won over, though, and she refused to speak to him for the time being.

They walked through the stone streets, past canals and docks and various archways leading to different districts. As they were walking around what Edoril said was the Cathedral district, Lucian, who had been walking up ahead, slowed down and matched his stride to Norivana's.

"Come on, Norivana, you know you've forgiven me by now," he joked, giving her a sly grin.

Norivana actually _had_ forgiven Lucian by now, but when he did that, she got annoyed. Who was he to decide if she had or not? Now feeling pissed again, she curtly replied, "Oh, have I? Well then. It seems you've got nothing to worry about." With that, she looked away, focusing on whatever was across the canal, though Lucian was still visible in her peripherals.

It was apparent now that he finally felt the full weight of his mistake. Norivana wasn't actually all that angry with him, but he _had_ scared the daylights out of her when he threw her, not to mention she felt extremely embarrassed afterward, what with all the Mages around her sending her judgmental glares. It was her first step into her new life in Stormwind, and it hadn't gone even remotely how she'd wanted it to. With no one to blame but him, she couldn't help but release some pent-up anger as well.

After Norivana kept walking, Lucian slumped his shoulders and returned to his place back beside his father. Though he probably thought she couldn't hear him, she could.

He leaned over to Edoril, who had heard the entire thing. "With all my known languages, I still can't speak 'woman'."

Edoril let out a loud laugh. "Son, from my experiences, what just happened back there roughly translates to, 'You screwed up'. Never assume you understand the mind of a woman, and _definitely _don't voice it if you do."

Lucian groaned miserably and Norivana couldn't help but smile to herself. Edoril may or may not be her new favorite elf right now.

They eventually reached one particularly smoky-looking district at the northeastern end which was oddly full of Dwarves. There were other races too, of course, but this was no doubt the most Dwarves she had ever seen in one place. Lucian had resigned to dragging his feet behind Norivana after two more attempts to make conversation and both times being shot down. It was all Norivana could do to keep from turning back and giving him a big old hug, what with the face he was making. He had completely stopped all attempts at even making any jokes, rather he was sulking behind the crowd, watching his feet.

Norivana was surprised how much of an effect it had on him that she was upset. Aitto could tell she wasn't angry anymore, what with him being an empath, however he did fall in place next to Lucian, eyeing him concernedly. This sort of scared Norivana. Aitto can feel what others are, and if he's taking time to give a Night Elf company, that Night Elf must not be very happy.

Just when she was about to go speak to Lucian, Edoril announced to them all by announcing that they'd reached the inn. Lucian jerked his head up at the news and regained a slightly-less-crestfallen look to him, and he made his way to the front of the group as Edoril opened the door to let himself in.

As the door opened, Norivana got a strong whiff of alcohol and heard loud, jovial shouts and cheers and song inside. This seemed more like a tavern, not an inn. Edoril stepped in first, followed by Lucian, and then the rest of the crowd. When Norivana entered and went to stand next to Lucian, she was about to speak to him, but she stopped when she saw his expression.

Both the twins, along with Lucian and Edoril, were staring ahead, mouths gaping and speechless. She followed their gazes and saw a large crowd of men cheering and whooping, circling around a single table in the middle. Even Norivana had to let her mouth hang when she saw what was _on_ that table.

A half-dressed Night Elf woman was dancing to the song the men were all singing, most of them slurring their words in a drunken stupor. A small band was also playing their music, using flutes and some sort of stringed instrument Norivana had never seen before. The woman was cheering and kicking dishes and half-filled glasses and all sorts of cutlery from the table, though no one seemed to mind.

Norivana laughed. "You Alliance have strange customs." Aitto snorted in agreement.

Edoril cleared his throat after a second, swallowing once and letting a smile cross his face. "Just like the first time I saw her."

Lucian was _not_ grinning, however, and he glanced over at his dad with a horrified expression. "We have to get her down from there!"

"Let her have her fun for a moment," Edoril chuckled, waiving Lucian away.

Unaril, who was laughing his ass off, shouted out amidst fits of laughter, "Work it, Cat!"

Norivana felt completely lost.

She tugged on Lucian's arm, "Erm. Lucian? Who is this 'Cat', and why are you so concerned about removing her?"

Lucian seemed quite pleased she spoke to him, and for a second it appeared he almost forgot about the dancing elf. "Look who's finally decided to talk to me," he joked, and she gave him a warning look, though it had an entertained edge to it.

"Don't push me, Druid. Or should I say Mage? What exactly was with you conjuring a portal back there?"

Lucian shook his head, ignoring her second question. He pointed at the elf.

"The woman dancing up there is my mother."


	12. Tension

**Alright! This is the last 'build-up' chapter, I promise. Character development takes a while, and for that I am sorry. :P**

**Just know, everything happens for a reason. That's all I'll say about this chapter. :)**

**Also, thank you all for reading/reviewing!**

**EDIT: I keep finding typos everywhere.. Parts get cut out or merged strangely. I think it was from the copy/paste process.. I'm currently fixing that, however, and I am quite sorry for the inconvenience.**

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The night that followed Lucian's reunion with his mother was certainly placed high on Norivana's 'weirdness' scale.

Lucian had finally found his mother after ten years - and in a most unconventional way, mind you. When Unaril had gotten over his initial shock, he'd yanked Sarion behind him and they both shoved through the crowd, whooping and hollering loudly, and then they climbed up onto the table with her. At the sight of her two old friends, she yelled out slurred greetings as they joined in dancing with her, laughing hysterically and singing along with the crowd. This caused a huge uproar of laughter with the whole group, and the singing became more intense until nearly everyone in the whole place was shouting out the lyrics.

Norivana had no idea what anyone was saying, as she couldn't speak their language yet. She made a mental note to herself that she'd need to take care of that, and quickly so, if she wanted any chance at having a life with the Alliance. Maybe she could ask Lucian to help her.

After a while, Edoril, who was practically in tears by then, made his way through the crowd of cheering, singing men and managed to get her down. When Cat had seen Edoril, her eyes brightened and she gave a huge grin as he held out his hand to her to help her down. The other surrounding men had all sorts of reactions to that, most of them obviously jealous that Edoril was the lucky winner.

Cat was stumbling, obviously intoxicated, but she was laughing hysterically along with Edoril and clinging to his arm tightly, looking up at him adorably. Norivana hadn't seen anyone look at someone like this before. It was odd, but she did think it was almost cute the way their eyes never left each other's.

In the meantime Lucian had walked over to the bar that rested on the opposite end of the inn, doing his best to turn his focus away from his mother's wild antics and order himself a drink. Norivana had stuck around for a moment with Sarion and Unaril as Cat danced, but as the twins went to join her, Norivana joined Lucian at the bar.

At first Lucian barely acknowledged her as she sat on the stool next to him, probably because he was trying his hardest to block his surroundings. He took a sip of his drink and stared blankly at the bar.

"How long's it been since you saw her? Ten years?" Norivana asked him, and he glanced over at her and took in a breath.

"Nearly eleven now, actually," he laughed slightly, "And the funny thing is that I'm not surprised at all by this whole... whatever you want to call it." He waved his hands over toward his mother, and Norivana laughed too.

"I thought you said she had a husband?"

"She did. Maybe not anymore. Who knows with that woman?" He shook his head hopelessly, smiling.

"Don't you want to go say hello?" she wondered aloud.

"I'll talk to her soon enough. Edoril hasn't seen her for forty, almost forty-one, years. I'd say he gets first draw."

"Whoa, I didn't think about that," Norivana raised her brows, "So they haven't found each other all this time?"

He shook his head, "If so, he hasn't mentioned it."

"It's like they haven't missed a day, though."

Lucian silently nodded his head in agreement, smiling at his parents. This was the first time he'd ever seen them together, and Norivana could tell it brought him joy, despite his embarrassment for his mother.

"So is this... unusual? For Cat, I mean?" Norivana asked, grinning.

Lucian scoffed lightheartedly, taking a large swig of his drink. He held up a few silver coins to the bartender and then pointed a thumb at Norivana, and within seconds the bartender had placed a large tankard in front of her. It smelled strongly of alcohol, so Norivana didn't exactly care to ask what exactly it was. She wasn't big on drinking, but she'd have an ale or two once in a while. She took a small sip while Lucian spoke.

"Actually, not really - and actually, her full name is 'Catalpa' - I've never seen her when she's outside the tribe. I guess I thought she'd be more... I don't know, reserved? My mistake, I suppose. It's not that I don't like it that she is so fun-loving, I just - I mean, come on. She's my mother. What man wants to see his mom doing that?"

Norivana chuckled. "She's certainly fun, that's for sure. I can't quite put myself in your place, because I don't actually remember a lot about my parents - or really, all parents in general. I'm not exactly filled-in on that whole 'parental' etiquette" thing.

He gave her a funny look. "Parental etiquette?"

She clarified, "I don't know how parents should act. So far, when it comes to you, it seems more like they're your friends or peers than… superiors. Is that always the case?"

"I do know that with many Night Elves, that's exactly the case. With our eternal youth, we all sort of catch up with each other eventually. However, with age comes wisdom. We all respect that. Take my father, for example. He's very, very old. Like, thousands of years. So naturally, he's considered to be very smart and very wise."

"_Thousands_?" Norivana asked incredulously. "I mean, I know the Night Elves are immortal, but, Edoril does _not_ seem that old. How old is your mother?!"

"She is just under one hundred, I believe. Most of the elves in the clan are very young. The clan you saw is actually just a fragment of the main one, which is where the original founders are. I never got the story as to why ours broke off, but it happened when my mother was young." Lucian was going off-topic, which Norivana didn't mind. His whole lifestyle seemed strange and interesting to her, so she enjoyed it.

"This is all making me feel very... small." Norivana mumbled, acknowledging that she was probably the youngest person here.

Lucian chuckled softly and patted her on the back. "Nah. Before you know it, you'll be a thousand years old and ever the wiser."

"Ooh, so much to look forward to," Norivana groaned. "And that's saying I _do_ manage to become accepted here."

He laughed softly, "Don't fret, 'Vana. You fit right in. Well, aside from the fact that we are currently speaking Orcish and you're an ex-Horde Blood Elf..."

Norivana was a bit caught off guard from his use of Aitto's nickname for her. If anyone else had used it, she'd have cut out their tongue. Well, maybe not, but she'd have at least scared them into thinking she _might_. But when Lucian used it, she _almost_ didn't mind.

They both looked over as Sarion waltzed over and plopped down in the open seat next to Norivana. She turned to him, realizing she had never actually talked to him before. She'd spoken to Unaril, but Sarion was much more of a silent type and she'd never really taken the chance.

"Hey, Sarion," she began, working her best Darnassian.

He ordered a drink first without acknowledging her, but after a few sips, he finally turned toward her. This was the first time she'd ever truly studied him. He had thick jet-black hair that fell down over his shoulders and halfway down his back, and his eyes, although they glowed gold, seemed almost darker, as did the rest of his features. His skin was a grayish purple-y blue, and he had a short goatee tufting off of his chin and tapering to a point at the bottom and dark brows that seemed always tensed. As opposed to his blue-haired twin, Sarion definitely looked much more serious. His gaze was calculating, intense, and much more cunning than Unaril's. He seemed almost... wrong. Out-of-place, especially amidst the other elves.

Norivana knew that thought was rubbish, but it still clung to the back of her mind. The way he moved made it seem like he was always hiding something. His eyes, though, were the most alarming thing about him. Although he held an almost-constant smirk, the way he would watch a person made it look like he was a predator staring at its next meal. Maybe that was something that accompanied the fact that he was sort of half-animal-... -ish.

One of Sarion's lips curled into a smile and Norivana was brought out of her focus when he spoke up. "Need something?" He was giving her an almost condescending look, but maybe that was just her own paranoia getting the best of her. It wasn't until she had paid attention to him that she'd picked up this whole negative aspect to him. He'd originally seemed much more like Unaril.

Norivana innocently took a sip of her drink, which was _very_ strong, by the way. "So you and Unaril are brothers, then? Twins?" she asked, hoping her tone sounded sincere, and that it wouldn't give away her unease.

"You are correct," Sarion replied simply, downing his drink quickly, then setting it down loudly for a refill. The bartender gave him a look of distaste but filled the tankard. Sarion said nothing more for a while, but he did take one more sip and then turn his gaze to her, watching her intensely.

"I have been watching you, elf, but I cannot seem to make up my mind about you. You are a peculiar one, I will give you that," he finally said quietly after a long pause.

Norivana raised her hands exasperatedly, "Why does everyone call me weird?" she whined jokingly, and Lucian chuckled to her left. Sarion gave her a strange look.

"Because you _are_ weird, Blood Elf. Wait… You didn't honestly think you would fit in here?" he laughed almost cruelly, "You won't, and you should stop trying. Go back home to your buddy Hellscream." Sarion was becoming quite hostile, but he still had a smirk at the corner of his mouth. It was a bit confusing.

Bristling, Norivana sent Sarion a hurt glare, and he glared back, so she scooted her chair away from him a little.

What a jerk. Hadn't he just told her he couldn't make up his mind? So why be so mean?

Sarion smirked to himself and returned to his drink, though his eyes seemed to travel to his sides constantly, as if he were on a constant guard. Norivana grumbled angrily to herself and placed her chin in one hand, slumping forward against the bar. Lucian, as he saw this whole thing play out, creased his brows and shot a glare at Sarion.

"Sarion, don't be an ass. What's wrong with you?" he scolded, hissing at the dark elf.

Though she agreed with Lucian, Norivana felt a little guilty. "You don't have to defend me, Lucian."

"He is out of line," Lucian grumbled. Norivana heard Sarion snicker to himself.

Norivana shook her head, switching back to Orcish so her new 'friend' couldn't eavesdrop, "I hate to admit it, but he's kind of right. I don't fit in here, and I shouldn't have expected to. Aitto should be having it worse than I am, but look at him," she pointed a finger toward the Tauren, who was laughing and making hand signals with a group of Dwarves at a large table. The Dwarves all seemed to have warmed up to him already, and it appeared that Aitto was about to participate in some sort of drinking contest. Figures.

"Don't listen to him. Norivana, you've only been here less than a day," Lucian said quietly, and she just sighed.

"Less than a day and I'm already under the impression I shouldn't be here."

"I never said it would be easy for you," Lucian replied, this time a little harsher.

Norivana could tell he was getting annoyed at her, and she realized it was for good reason, too. Here she was having a pity party for herself when he had gone so far out of his way to get her here.

"You're right, I'm being selfish. Sorry," she mumbled back, taking another drink. "I'm just stressed, that's all."

His gaze softened and he smiled but didn't speak, and the two continued their drinks in comfortable silence while Sarion sat to her right and watched them for a while. He hadn't understood what they said, but he probably got the gist of it.

"I need another drink," he groaned, tossing a few silver coins onto the counter sloppily, "You two are pathetic."

Lucian cocked his head and set his drink down on the bar again. "Seriously, Sarion. What in the world has gotten into you?"

Unexpectedly, Sarion snapped. His eyes were wide, and for a moment Norivana could've sworn they flashed a sickly green amidst the amber glow. "What's gotten into me?! What's gotten into _you_?" He slammed his tankard onto the bar frustratedly, jamming a finger toward Norivana, "That monster killed our friends, our _clan_, and still you keep it in your presence."

"I did no such thing!" Norivana raised her voice.

Lucian clenched a large hand around his metal tankard as Sarion continued, still glaring at him, counting on his finger as he named his fallen clan members, "Gladia, Valador, Misiliath, Bretharion. They were your friends. You are our leader, and yet you throw us away at a whim for your new infatuation." Sarion jerked a finger at Norivana again. "Your Blood Elf's little Horde friends slaughtered them in front of our eyes, and you treat her like our honored guest."

"Sarion, she had no part in that. In fact, she supported our side." He leaned forward a little, speaking in a low tone, "I spoke with you already about this, and you were more than willing to welcome Norivana and Aitto. What is with this sudden change?"

Sarion flashed a sneer, curling his lips and growling, "I have not changed. You have."

Unaril had walked over when he heard the raised voices, and he raised a brow and cut in. "Hey, now. What is this all about?" He paused uneasily when he saw his brother, "Sarion, brother, you look unwell. Are you feeling alright?"

Sarion gave his brother a scowl, but he wasn't quite as bristled. "I am perfectly fine." He brushed a large hand through his ink-black hair and smoothed out the hair on his chin.

"Perhaps we should retire for the evening. It may do you some good to sleep a little. You look... off." Unaril put emphasis on the last word, shooting Sarion a look Norivana couldn't read.

"I will repeat: I am _fine._" Sarion replied, and his tone of voice shocked Norivana. A second ago, he had been practically biting Lucian's head off, and right now, he was much more calm, though she could still pick up a trace of venom underneath.

Unaril exhaled sharply. "Be that as it may," he gave Sarion an imperative look, but his voice remained calm, "but I would appreciate your help in carrying our things upstairs at least." He gave his brother a cool smile and tugged on his shoulder urgently.

Suddenly Sarion was another person. "Indeed. Please excuse me. Thank you for your company, and have a good night." Sarion gave both Lucian and Norivana a polite smile and stood, his previous sour disposition seemingly completely evaporated.

Norivana, wide-eyed, turned to Lucian as the two brothers exited the room. Lucian looked very concerned.

"Is... is he always like that?" Norivana asked, shaken.

"No, never. I wonder if leaving Ashenvale did something to him. I know leaving definitely cuts our ties with nature a _lot_, but I never thought it would affect anyone in that way or that badly. Poor guy."

Norivana shook her head. "Were you like that when you left your clan?"

"I did go through a sort of withdrawal, so to speak. But no, I was not like that. Mine was more physical. I actually… shrank."

"Shrank? You got shorter?"

"I lost a good foot or two, over ten years. But when I returned to Ashenvale, it only took a matter of days to return to my original height. Those nature-steroids can do some odd things to you. Weird, huh?"

"Very," Norivana smiled, "So I'm not the _only_ weird one here."

"Not by a long shot," Lucian grinned back, raising his drink before taking a swig.

Norivana was feeling quite a buzz by now and had relaxed quite a bit from her encounter with Sarion. She and Lucian remained at the bar for quite a while after that, chatting and sipping their drinks (well, Norivana sipped. Lucian chugged his down, but he seemed to be perfectly fine).

They talked about Edoril, who was apparently a Highborne Night Elf from long ago. Rather than staying with the secret mage societies for all those years, he had been a vagrant, traveling from place-to-place, refusing to be shunned to a secret society, whereas instead he was just... shunned. He befriended many humans, some of whom were royal, and so when Stormwind was returned to its full power, he had been right there with them. Since then, he had remained there, acting as friend, mentor, and adviser to the kings as they grew. He had actually been Varian's instructor when Varian was young, so his advice would definitely be taken seriously by the king.

That was good news.

At one time that night, which was fairly late in their drinking so they were both a bit intoxicated, Lucian was in the middle of a story about when he was a young boy and had accidentally fallen out of a tree and onto a hornet's nest, (in which he had eventually managed to control the giant swarm of wasps and sent it to scare Gladia) he paused in the middle of a sentence and just stared at Norivana.

For a moment she thought maybe all his liquor had caught up with him and he was about to throw up, as he was quite drunk. But then he began to speak.

He held up a finger to point at her face, "You hav- (hiccup)… You have _awesome_ eyes. You know that?" He had begun to slur his words a little, grinning widely. "They're so… Big. And shiny. And watery. Swirly, twirly water. Like the evil green water from Felwood." He paused a moment, scrunching his face almost adorably. "That sounded better in my head…"

Norivana burst out in giggles and Lucian started laughing too, and from then on, no matter what either of them said, it was decidedly hilarious and received a generous amount of laughter.

Edoril returned after a few hours, and to Norivana's surprise, he didn't have a cheerful drunken Night Elf woman hanging off his shoulder. He almost looked bare without her. He approached the two of them at the bar, his dark robes swishing behind him.

"You two should get some rest. It's late, and we've got a big day tomorrow. We'll meet with the king in the afternoon. Speaking of, Norivana, do you speak any Common?"

Norivana shook her head sheepishly. She was afraid if she tried to speak right now, her alcohol-addled brain would somehow embarrass her.

"Well, let's see. I could either provide you with a spell that will increase your aptitude to learn other languages, which would allow you to learn it within a few days," he began, "Or, I could do my best with a sort of interpretation spell, which would work immediately. I would focus it on one specific language, this case being Common, and I do believe with the right reagents I could get it to work. It may have some slip-ups, which is why I'm hesitant, but it should work alright. That would certainly make for a much smoother meeting with the king, yes?"

Lucian smacked a hand to his forehead almost dramatically, "Why didn't I think of that?! That would've been so much simpler." Norivana could tell the alcohol was making him act goofy and she giggled.

"That second option sounds awesome," Norivana slurred as clearly as possible, and Edoril looked pleased.

"I already spoke to Aitto, and he prefers the interpretation spell as well. I will do that in the morning, though. Right now I must get some rest. And you two," Edoril laughed, "Sober up."

He placed a finger on each of their temples, mumbled something, and then suddenly Norivana and Lucian were both groaning painfully, growling at Edoril. Though she had only ever once had a hangover, Norivana knew that feeling, and she recognized it right now. Her vision had cleared, and any and all sounds grated at her headache like war drums.

"Father, why?" Lucian groaned, and Edoril laughed.

"I need you two healthy and alert tomorrow. You're quite lucky; this is what you would've been dealing with tomorrow had I not intervened. Work off your headaches with some sleep and I shall see you in the morning."

Norivana cursed under her breath and rubbed her temples, which felt like they were about to explode.

"What did he just do?!" she groaned, holding her head.

Lucian growled as his dad walked away, "Ever had a hangover? Yeah. It's something he used to do to me. He sped up the drinking process. We're technically sober right now." He groaned and pressed a hand to his head, "I didn't even drink a lot. Six refills isn't all that much."

Norivana glanced at the tankards, which could easily hold at least a liter of ale in each. She snorted. "Six refills? Holy hell, Lucian, that _is_ a lot! I had half of that and I'm in pain."

Lucian gave her a sideways smirk, "Well, I'm probably twice your size. So it evens out. Anywho I'm guessing he went a little overboard and gave us an extra kick to the headaches. That sounds like something he would do… Probably thought he was teaching us a lesson."

"It certainly worked on me," Norivana mumbled, sliding out of her chair and holding a hand to her head.

Lucian reached into a backpack swung over his shoulder and pulled out a small vial filled with a red liquid that Norivana recognized as a healing potion.

"Don't tell Edoril I still have these, but they should stay the headaches and nausea or get rid of them completely."

Norivana smiled as she took the vial he handed her. "I didn't know these worked for hangovers."

"This isn't actually a health potion. It's got a little caffeine, as well as a purifying reagent that sort of helps speed the process of removing the alcohol's toxins. Special remedy of mine that I developed after three years of dealing with this sort of thing."

"You're an alchemist, too?" Norivana squeaked. What was this man _not_ good at?

He laughed and nodded. "Bottoms up."

"This is cheating, you know," Norivana grinned at him as they both took large swigs, "But it's ridiculously convenient. Do you just carry these with you wherever you go?"

She almost immediately felt better. Her head still pounded a little, but it was fading, and her nausea was gone completely. Lucian held out a hand and she returned the empty glass vial.

"These are leftovers. They're old, but that just makes 'em extra potent. Better?"

"Much," she replied, "Thanks."

"Good. I will suggest that we do go to sleep now, though. Edoril did have a point."

Norivana yawned, confirming Lucian's statement, and she pulled out a few coins from her backpack and placed them on the bar as a tip. It was _way_ too much, but she decided if she wanted to make a good impression in this city, she should go big or go home. The bartender's eyes widened at the two gold sovereigns that could've easily paid for all of their previous drinks and then some, and he hesitantly took them and gave her a look of extreme gratitude. She smiled at him and turned toward the stairs, where Lucian had already headed.

Lucian showed her to her room, which was much larger than the ones in Astranaar – probably because this was a city inn, not a random one in the middle of a forest. He stood there for a second, looking incredibly awkward, and Norivana paused.

"What is it?" she asked concernedly, looking around her.

Lucian cleared his throat. "Oh, uh. Nothing. Nothing…" He trailed off, looking at his feet. "I just wanted to say that I uh, I'm glad you're here. With me – er – with us. And I.. I think you're awesome."

Norivana giggled. "Are you sure Edoril's spell worked completely? You did have a lot to drink, you know."

"No! No that's.. that's not it. Nevermind. I uh… Night, Norivana. Sleep well." He grinned at her sheepishly and waved a hand before turning swiftly and walking down the hall into his room.

Norivana watched him leave, smiling to herself. It was decided: She liked Lucian. A lot.

She entered her room, pulling her pack off her shoulder and tossing it into the corner. She lit a lantern and placed it on the table next to her bed, and was about to crawl into bed when a tall figure with glowing eyes appeared out of the dark corner of the room and nearly caused her to jump out of her skin.

"That was awkward," a low voice carried out, and she squeaked in surprise and leapt backward, hands instinctively grasping at thin air where her weapons would've been had she sheathed them. The figure came closer, and as it finally came into the soft light of the lantern, Norivana wasn't calmed down one bit.

Sarion was standing near the closed door, effectively blocking her only means of escape and blocking the space between her and her thrown bag, which harbored her weapons. She backed up next to the table and stood there, waiting for the dark Druid to make a move. Would he attack her? What was he doing here?

"Sarion, what are you doing?" she asked cautiously, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

The elf held up his hands innocently, and his tone of voice surprised her. He sounded almost like Unaril, the way he spoke with such lighthearted tones. "Hey, hey. All I want is to apologize for earlier. I was being a dick."

"Aaaaand you had to hide in the shadows of my room to do this? I think not."

Sarion chuckled, his eyes twinkling, "In my defense, it _was_ light when I came in here."

Norivana scrunched her brows. This was odd. Her first impression of this man had been terrible; he'd accused her of murder. Now he was standing in her room, laughing and apologizing.

He clasped his hands together and took a step forward. He was calm and collected, and he spoke in a quiet tone, "I just want you to know that I did not mean what I said down there. I do not know what came over me. Please, forgive me." His expression was sincere, and even his eyes somehow managed to dance as he smiled.

Norivana eyed him warily, though she was giving in. "Look, Sarion, I understand why you're angry. Naturally, I am your enemy. People of my race murdered your friends. It's obvious I would receive some sort of hostility for that. But I –"

"I know it's not your fault," Sarion interrupted and took another step forward, and Norivana eyed him suspiciously. "I was just venting my anger, Norivana, please forgive me," he begged, cocking his head to the side and losing his smile, letting his eyes do all the work. He looked like a kicked puppy.

She relaxed a little, "Fine. I... forgive you. It's okay, Sarion. Lucian told me you could be experiencing some sort of natural withdrawal from leaving Ashenvale and coming to a stone city. I understand."

Sarion paused, looking contemplative. "Yes, that's probably it," he mumbled, nodding. His glowing eyes flickered a little, and he turned his gaze back to her. He looked almost sad. "You are a good person, Norivana. Thank you." He took a few more steps forward, and Norivana backed up more and flattened herself against the wall to keep him from touching her. It seemed almost as if he wanted.. a hug? What?

"Sarion," she warned, knowing he'd had a generous amount to drink tonight. He somehow suddenly looked even sadder, and instead of doing anything, he slouched his shoulders and pouted, turning toward the door and walking away. He most definitely was a drunk, sad puppy.

Norivana suddenly felt a surge of sympathy. This wasn't Sarion's fault. He had lived in Ashenvale his entire life, and this was a big difference for him, especially when it came to his connection with nature being practically severed. Lucian had told her that here, they still had the same power, it just wasn't quite as strong. If they left the city, it'd be quite a bit stronger, but within the stone walls it was weakened.

She sighed aloud. "Damn it. Sarion, you can't go off looking like that and expect me to not forgive you."

Though she normally would never, not-in-a-million-years ever, do this, she felt it was necessary. She ran forward before he managed to leave the room and threw her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. She felt him tense, as he probably didn't expect an assault-hug, but as her words registered, he turned around happily and returned it, picking her up off the ground before releasing the hug. It was a bit extravagant for her liking, but Sarion seemed pleased, so she didn't fight it.

"I didn't mean the things I said. You'll fit in here perfectly, I promise," he said as he smiled at her, his original goofy demeanor returning just barely, the one she had seen back in Raynewood Retreat. It was a sight for sore eyes.

"Good. Otherwise I would've had to hurt you."

His eyes flashed mischievously, "You couldn't if you tried."

She quirked a brow. "Oh, really? Wanna bet? I'll duel you."

"It's on." His dark, cunning eyes studied her as if he were sizing her up. He probably was, actually.

"Tomorrow," she quipped, and he clicked his tongue.

"So eager to fail."

Norivana laughed. "Get outta my room." With that, she shoved him out and shut her door promptly, and then lightly skipped over and hopped onto her bed.

She sighed happily.

Tomorrow, she would learn Common.

Tomorrow, she'd get the chance to kick Sarion's sorry ass.

Tomorrow, Norivana would meet the king.


	13. The King of Stormwind

**Sorry it's been a week, but here's my next chapter. Longest chapter yet, too, so that's all exciting and whatnot. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading this, it's quite a fun journey.**

**EDIT Thanks to my guest for pointing this out! Completely unintentional; I accidentally must've unclicked the romance genre in my story somehow when I edited the summary a little. Sorry about that! No, Lucian and Norivana will be together, no worries. ;)  
**

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Norivana was getting more and more anxious as the morning passed. Edoril had promised both her and Aitto that he would be back promptly to assess the issue regarding the translation spell, but so far he hadn't shown up. She was so worried about meeting King Varian today that she'd completely lost her appetite and instead had resigned to staying in her room until Edoril showed up to work his magic.

As she paced the floors of her room, a knock came at her door.

"'Vana, you in here?"

She recognized it as Aitto and beckoned him in. He creaked the wooden door open and shuffled inside, giving her a smile as he approached her.

"Edoril is here," his deep voice rumbled, and she immediately felt better. If Edoril was here, they could get on with their day.

"Is he ready for the spell?"

"He said he needs to read over his old manual. Apparently it's been quite a while since he's done a spell like this one, but he appears fairly confident that it will work. I am not worried."

Norivana smiled and relaxed a bit, but she noticed Aitto looked as if he wanted to say something but was restraining.

"What is it?" she wondered aloud, and he looked almost sheepish.

He almost grumbled his words. "I uh..." he wrinkled his brows, frowning slightly, "I know you have become quite fond of our new elf companions, but..."

With a bit of a chuckle, Norivana sighed. "Spit it out, big guy."

"That one Druid. Sarion, I think is his name? He's... He's trouble..."

"What do you mean?" Norivana asked, quickly becoming serious. Did Sarion act like he had last night to Aitto as well?

Aitto gave a look of distaste. "He's giving me whiplash. Half the time, he's quite happy and laid back, but then at other times, it's like he flips a switch. As if his emotions all of a sudden go haywire, and the negativity.. it almost... burns. Something is very, very off about him."

Norivana exhaled a sharp breath. "I thought so too."

Aitto raised his brows, so she continued, "He was a complete ass last night, but Lucian told me that he could be going through some sort of 'nature withdrawal'. He's never left the forest before, and I thought that maybe that, combined with him mourning his lost friends, may be the reason. I just don't get why Unaril is perfectly fine, though. I guess everyone's different."

Aitto looked thoughtful. "So... in order to be sure that's the issue, all we need to do is take him into a more natural environment? Or would he need to go all the way back to Ashenvale?"

"Lucian said the city walls dull the power. It's possible that any sort of forest or grasslands or pretty much anything natural would work. Only one way to find out," she decided, scrunching her brows.

Their conversation was interrupted when another knock came at her door.

It was Unaril, and he looked urgent.

"I've come to speak to you about last night," Unaril murmured, helping himself into her room and shutting the door behind him.

Norivana spoke. "You mean Sarion? He already apologiz-"

"Yes, I mean him," Unaril whispered, giving her a slight smirk but holding a finger up to his lips to shush her. Although he looked a little worried, his golden eyes still held a genuine smile amidst the tension.

Norivana gave him an expectant look, so he continued.

"He's somewhere nearby and I don't want to upset him," he began, looking between Aitto and Norivana. "Anyway, I just wanted to say something. My twin can be... a lot to handle. These past few weeks have been really stressful for the poor guy, and I don't want you both thinking my brother is some kind of nutter." His eyes twinkled a bit, and Norivana couldn't help but smile at him. Unaril had this way of making anyone like him just by saying a few words.

"I understand; Lucian explained a little about how Sarion could be going through a withdrawal," Norivana replied back, and Aitto let out a sigh and interrupted them.

"I am concerned for the man. The emotions he's experiencing... They're not just grief or irritation. They're heightened to the point of where he'll be perfectly content, and then he's suddenly seething with flat-out inexplicable rage. Something's wrong with him, and I don't think it's just a 'withdrawal'," Aitto demanded.

Norivana was surprised at the Tauren. He was legitimately worried about this, and she wasn't completely sure why. Yeah, Sarion was sort of a jerk, but Aitto was treating it like Sarion was some sort of ticking bomb waiting to go off.

Then again, maybe he was, for all she knew.

Unaril let out a sigh and held a pained expression, which looked almost foreign on his normally-joyful person. "I know," he pleaded, "I am worried for him too, but you must understand: he's always been a bit of a hothead, and it isn't so far fetched that he's just intensifying that. It's nothing to be worried about. All he needs is patience and understanding, and I can only ask that you provide that when at all possible."

Aitto backed off a little and gave a light nod. "That I can do, but I _must_ implore that you look into it deeper. Something is wrong with your brother."

Norivana was impressed at how fluently he was speaking their language. She decided it was probably something to do with his having stayed with the Night Elves for such an extended time.

"If it pleases you, I can. But I assure you, he will be fine eventually. Nothing gets either of us down for too long." Unaril gave Norivana a quick wink and he brushed a hand through his silky blue hair, then raised his arms and flexed them, speaking in a comical tone. "Besides, who's got time for brooding and moping around when there's a plethora of beautiful women here in Stormwind in need of gallant, strapping men like Sarion and myself? It'd be a pity to let this all go to waste just because Sarion's got a minor case of manic depression."

Aitto chuckled deeply and Norivana joined in. She liked Unaril. He was fun, a breath of fresh air from his raven-haired brother.

Another knock came at her door, and Norivana sighed exasperatedly.

"I must be popular this morning," she joked as she went to answer it.

Edoril greeted her from the other side, giving her a polite smile. "Good morning," he began, "Are you ready for the translation spell?"

Norivana clapped her hands together. "Of course! Do we need to go somewhere, or what?"

"Actually this room would work nicely. It's quiet enough that you won't go into some sort of shock as the language bridge breaks. I once made the mistake of using the spell on someone in a room full of people who were all talking loudly, and it must have hit the poor man like a sack of stone, the way he reacted. The quieter your surroundings, the better." Edoril turned toward Unaril. "You may stay here, if you'd like. Just don't speak as I perform the spell."

Unaril nodded and stepped back, his eyes regarding them all eagerly and excitedly. Norivana decided Unaril was definitely the sort who loved to learn and experience new things.

Edoril turned to Aitto. "I'll let you go first, if you don't mind."

"The sooner I can understand these people, the better."

With a nod, Edoril motioned for Aitto sit down. Edoril took a deep breath and started muttering something, and immediately his hands began to glow a little. He placed his hand on Aitto's left temple, and after a few moments of repeating the same incantation, Aitto's eyes widened for a moment and he blinked a few times, then snorted, and finally he looked up straight at Edoril and spoke to him.

In Common.

Norivana clapped excitedly and Edoril looked pleased.

"Glad to see this worked. Common is surprisingly a difficult tongue, but he has picked it up nicely. Your turn, Miss Sunstepper."

Norivana took Aitto's place and sat down, and Edoril repeated the spell. It felt strange to her, and as he spoke the words for his spell, she felt like she _should_ be able to understand him.

After a few more seconds, it was like a wall had shattered. Immediately, she was actually able to understand the words he was muttering.

"It worked!" she squeaked, and the words felt foreign in her mouth.

Unaril had been watching from afar and he grinned, finally speaking in Common instead of Darnassian. "No more Orcish!"

Norivana smirked and switched back to Orcish. "No, I think I'll keep this one too, just to annoy you."

He didn't know what she said, but he squinted his eyes at her playfully, then nudged Edoril. "Edoril, I'm gonna be needing that spell, Orcish flavor."

"Orcish flavor?" Norivana grimaced. "That sounds... gross." She still felt strange saying the words in Common, and even stranger that she could understand herself. This would take some getting used to.

Unaril and Edoril chuckled as yet another person knocked on Norivana's door.

Norivana stomped over to the door and yanked it open. "If we bring one more freaking person into this room we'll all suffoc-" she paused and gasped a little when she saw Lucian.

His clothing looked so... so... civilized. No vines or tattered tears or patches on the pants. On the contrary, it was all neatly tailored, and he'd acquired an impressive set of intricately-crafted leather armor that made Norivana jealous. What was even stranger about him was that his hair had been combed and tamed, and he had trimmed the silvery stubble on his face.

"You look, uh, different," Norivana finally announced, and Lucian laughed warmly.

"Nice Common," he commented and then stepped into the room, giving Edoril a mock frown, "You did the spell without me?" he complained, "I was looking forward to it."

Edoril shook his head, laughing, and Lucian continued, "Anyway, I've brought you two some things." He held out two satchels to Aitto and Norivana with ties at the tops.

Norivana took hers with a 'thank you' and opened it. Inside was an impressive collection of all sorts of things, like trinkets and toiletries and scented soaps and combs, along with delicate clothing and whatnot. It obviously would've cost Norivana everything she had, so she just stood there staring at it all, gaping.

"Why did you get us all of this?" she stammered, pulling out a particularly impressive-looking comb. She'd never had so many pretty things.

"Think of it as a... welcoming present." Lucian replied, folding his hands behind his back. He turned to his father. "We'll be seeing the King in just a few hours, then?"

Edoril snapped his fingers. "Indeed! Norivana, Aitto, some assistants will be up shortly to prepare baths in your rooms. Take your time, we've a few hours before we proceed to the keep."

Unaril hopped up, as he'd been sitting on the bed, and he gave Norivana a smirk, "In that case, you probably don't want all us men in your room."

Norivana laughed as Aitto and Edoril left the room. "Right you are, elf."

He'd had almost reached the door when he whipped around, "Then again," he began slyly, giving her a wink, "I'm always available if you wan-"

"Get outta here, Knucklehead." He was interrupted when Lucian chuckled loudly and shoved the blue-haired elf out the door.

They could both hear Unaril letting out playful complaints as he retreated, and Norivana laughed a little and turned her attention to Lucian. He approached her from the doorway and held something out in his hand.

"I sort of thought of you when I got this," he began, holding the object up to reveal a very impressive-looking necklace. It looked like it was made out of some sort of metal, but the metal glowed a slight blue, and in the center, a single tiny emblem in the shape of a crescent moon hung down. Upon a closer inspection, each link of the chain looked like a tiny, delicate silvery leaf. Even the veins of the leaves had been carved elegantly into the metal, and at the base of the emblem, the leaves came together to create one larger - yet still very small - leaf that connected to the tiny crescent moon.

In short, it was _incredible_.

Norivana was at a loss for words, so Lucian spoke up. "I had it enchanted, too, so that whenever the wearer of the necklace is within a certain radius of me, the necklace taps into my own power and provides a sort of... protective armor. It also has a very strong link with my restorative pool, which means that if ever necessary, one can channel that pool in order to rejuvenate themselves." He paused a little, giving a slight smile, "I guess I just thought it'd be useful."

She delicately reached out and picked up the necklace with her small hands, inspecting it with wide eyes. It was extremely light in her hands, and as she picked it up, she immediately felt what Lucian was talking about. Her nerves tingled and she sensed the shield rapidly spreading along her arms, legs, and chest. She shivered a little and smiled.

"Lucian, this is amazing," she breathed, lifting it up to clasp it around her neck.

Lucian stepped forward and obliged, "May I?"

She paused and allowed him to take the necklace, and he stepped around and reached over her head, placing the delicate trinket about her neck and clasping it in the back. The shield intensified even more, and it felt now more like a constant, awake buzz in her fingertips and toes. She grinned widely.

Lucian grinned back as he returned to face her, and he reached up to scratch the back of his neck, looking uncertain. "So you like it?"

"Love it," Norivana assured him. "This is the first time anyone's ever given me a gift like this..."

"Really?" he raised his brows. "Perhaps I should do this more often, then."

She laughed. "Well, I certainly wouldn't complain! This necklace is superb."

Lucian laughed aloud, smiling down at the red-haired Blood Elf in front of him affectionately. He reached out a hand to inspect the chain around her neck, lifting it up with a single finger as he spoke. "I have never seen its equal." His eyes flicked up to hers, glowing warmly.

Norivana realized she was holding her breath and her heart skipped at the proximity of his hand, and she questioned herself dumbly. What was her deal? All they were doing was admiring a piece of fine jewelry... Right? So why did this seem so.. intimate?

They were both interrupted when a Dwarven lady carrying a large pail opened the door and shuffled into the room. When she saw the two of them, she halted and almost dropped her bucket.

"Ach! My apologies, I thought ye were alone in here, lassie!" she chirped, and Norivana shook her head quickly.

"No worries! It's okay, come on in," she replied hastily, and the girl nodded and walked over to the empty tub at the far end of the room and poured the water in.

When no one moved, the Dwarf eyed them both. "Is he leavin', or...?"

Lucian laughed and clapped a hand to his head, looking embarrassed, "Whoops! Yeah, I'll go. See you in a while, 'Vana."

Norivana waved as he practically bounded out the door, and the Dwarven girl clicked her tongue. "Thought I was gonna have to kick his arse to Kharanos. There'll be no shenanigans in my inn!"

"Shenanigans?" Norivana giggled.

The lady eyed her wryly. "Ye know what I'm talking about."

Norivana looked away with a smirk, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Lucian? No, there's nothing... there."

"Oh? So those doe-eyed looks the two of ye were exchangin' were just friendly passings?" The lady joked. She then placed an orange rune at the bottom of the tub and it fizzed wildly, bubbling and causing the water to steam within seconds. "The name's Thaegra, by the way. Thaegra Tillstone. I own this inn. Best and worst decision of me life, and I wouldn't trade it for nothin'."

"Do you get a lot of business?" Norivana wondered, changing the subject as she undressed for the bath.

Thaegra nodded her head, "Aye. Sometimes too much on the busiest days. But it's all well and good; we've never had a real bar fight before, and that right there is a proud accomplishment, I say."

"Never?" Norivana squeaked, obviously surprised and a little in awe. "Where I come from, there's always some sort of squabble in the taverns. Those Trolls especially have some fiery personalities." She stepped into the hot water and relished in the fizzy essence of it.

"So it's true then?" the Dwarf paused, giving Norivana a look of surprise, "Ye really are an ex-soldier? I heard some o' the men downstairs discussin' it but didn't give it much thought."

"Yes," Norivana sighed, wetting a small cloth and soaping it to scrub her arms and legs, "And all I can say is that I wish I'd switched over sooner."

"What made ye leave then?" The Dwarf brought Norivana's new pack of toiletries over and held out a bar of scented soap, "Use this for yer hair. It'll make it silky soft."

Norivana took the bar and lathered up her hands with the soap, running it through her hair, "All I have to say is: Garrosh Hellscream is a cruel, unrelenting creature."

Thaegra gave her a sympathetic look. "That bad?"

"That bad," Norivana agreed as she rinsed the sweet-smelling soap out of her hair. She scrubbed for a little while longer, and then Thaegra retrieved a nice-sized towel and held it out for her as she exited the tub. As Norivana dried off, Thaegra pulled out a brush from Norivana's bag. "Mind if I style?"

"My hair?" Norivana asked, surprised. No one had ever styled her hair before; she usually just tied it up and out of her face.

"Aye. If there's one thing we Dwarf women know, it's how to charm our men."

"Charm your men?" Norivana giggled. "And who exactly am I charming?"

The Dwarf raised a brow. "Don't ye pull that oblivious act with me, lassie. I saw the look yer elephant-of-a-man was givin' yeh back there. He's taken with ye, just you wait."

Norivana scrunched her nose, fighting a blush, "No, no. We're not... I mean he doesn't..." She couldn't really come to terms with it. Who would've expected her, of all people, to like a _Night Elf_ in such a way?

Thaegra chuckled and shook her head. "You elves just love to dance around the facts don't ye?"

Norivana folded her arms over her towel. "There's no facts_ to_ dance around."

"Keep tellin' yerself that, lass," the crimson-haired Dwarf laughed. "Sit down here."

Norivana sat in the chair, allowing Thaegra to work her magic.

She looked at the mirror in front of her and nearly had a heart attack. This was the first time she'd seen herself in quite a long while - last time was way before she'd gone out to fight in Warsong - and she had completely forgotten about the injury she'd received in the battle. All across the left side of her face, starting above her eyebrow and ending halfway down her cheek bone, was a very angry-looking scar. Even her eye on that left side shone less brightly, and as she stared at it, she almost didn't recognize herself.

Thaegra sensed Norivana's upset. "What's botherin' ye?"

"I just.. I look different." Norivana pursed her lips.

"Ye'r pretty as a fresh flower, lassie." Thaegra assured her, patting her shoulder as she combed through Norivana's dark red hair.

Norivana smiled a little and sat in silence, watching Thaegra braid small strands and twist them together artistically. She had started at the sides of Norivana's head, braiding backward behind her long ears and tying in the back, leaving a good section in the center untouched and allowing it to cascade down to the middle of her back. It was a simple style but elegant nonetheless, and Norivana was very pleased she had her own personal stylist to do this for her; she'd never be able to recreate it in a million years.

Thaegra made a few final touches and reached into the satchel and retrieved a very tiny, delicate silver hair pin. She placed it in the back of Norivana's hair and took a step back to admire.

"Fit for the presence of a king!" she clapped, then began digging through Norivana's bag for clothes. Norivana honestly didn't mind at all. She had no social or fashion sense whatsoever, so she could only hope that this Dwarf knew what she was doing. Thaegra pulled out a lightweight pair of pants and a silky-looking black shirt and handed them to her.

"Wear these," she said simply. Norivana tried them on and immediately fell in love with them. They were immensely comfortable, not to mention they looked _so _badass. She collected her dark leather strappings, tall boots, and her belt, and then sheathed her confiscated daggers into their spots at her waist. As a final touch, she re-clasped the crescent moon necklace around her neck, though currently she couldn't feel the buzz it had given when she was near Lucian.

"What do you think?" Norivana grinned, whirling around once for the dwarf.

"Ye look pretty and all, but I must say yer a bit intimidating," Thaegra raised her brows, "I'd hate to be yer enemy. That scar does its job."

Norivana cocked her head with a smile. "Good!" she chirped.

Thaegra got to work dumping out the bathwater while Norivana packed up her things. She'd gotten an extra key to her room, so she was able to leave her things there instead of lugging them around wherever she went.

After thanking Thaegra, she made her way down into the main room of the inn, and because it was midday there wasn't even half of the crowd she'd seen last night. At a quick glance she saw that Edoril had returned that morning and all four Night Elves were sitting at a table at the far end, so she went to sit with them.

As she took her place beside Unaril, Sarion leaned forward from Unaril's other side to get her attention.

"Psst," he hissed, and she glanced over. "We still on for that duel?"

Norivana had completely forgotten about it. "Uh, sure!"

Unaril gave her a sideways glance that she couldn't read and that Sarion didn't see.

Sarion spoke up, grinning widely, "Great. I hope you like getting your ass kicked."

"Never experienced it, sadly, so I wouldn't know," she quipped, flashing a wide smile.

Lucian laughed from the other side of the table at her and she winked at him. A barmaid brought a large platter of fresh fruits out and placed it in the center of the table, and the four elf men looked like small children on Christmas morning. Their eyes all lit up and they reached out and began placing clumps of grapes and sliced strawberries and all sorts of various chopped fruits onto their small plates in front of them.

Night Elves must like fruit.

Norivana smiled and grabbed a small clump of grapes, peeling the tiny peels with her teeth absentmindedly. She sort of zoned out a bit as everyone else talked, and instead listened to the sounds around her. It was weird; she could actually understand the people shouting outside the inn, could hear the auctioneers and the bankers and everyone talking at once. For some reason, it made her feel a whole lot better. She wasn't just some foreigner, she was beginning to mesh.

Now the only issue would be talking to King Varian. And she had absolutely no idea how that would go.

She heard Aitto's voice and snapped back into reality, looking around the room for him. He was sitting at their table as well, surprisingly. Goodness, how much time had she been sitting there staring through her plate?

Aitto had cleaned up nicely, and he'd lost that almost dusty look to his fur that must've gathered over so much traveling and fighting. His fur looked much more sleek, a shiny inky black. He had re-braided his long beard and hair and tied them neatly.

Seems like everyone's decided to look extra-good for the king.

Norivana was starting to return back into her mini-trance when Unaril nudged her with his elbow.

"You okay, little elf?" he wondered, giving her a look of genuine concern. Most of the time, Unaril was a complete jokester, but then every once in a while he'd surprise her by showing an impressive amount of empathy.

She smiled. "Little elf?"

"You are kind of small," he commented, returning her smile with one of his own.

"Yes, I'm okay. It's just a lot to get used to."

He thought for a moment. "Indeed it is. You are transitioning smoothly though; no disasters yet. I've never been here before either, so it's a new experience for us both."

She nodded thoughtfully. "It's a big change, but completely worth it."

"You've truly got no alternative motives," Unaril mused, giving her a contemplative look. "You and Aitto I mean. All you want is a fresh start."

"Took you this long to figure that out?" Norivana teased.

"Can't blame me for being a little skeptical. It's not every day you find an honorable Blood Elf rogue. Or an honorable rogue in general."

Norivana nodded a single resigned nod, "Ehh, that's true. We rogues can be pretty nasty."

Unaril chuckled. "Nasty is the _last_ word I would use for you."

She grinned at him. "Oh? What word would you use for me?"

"I don't know, probably a word like, 'pretty-cool-but-not-nearly-as-awesome-as-the-grea t-and-ridiculously-handsome-Unaril'." He shrugged, "Or something along those lines." His glowing eyes quirked mischievously as he stroked his trimmed beard with his thumb and index finger.

Norivana laughed aloud. "Mmm, creative... But that's way more than one word, Unaril."

"Pffft. Minor details," Unaril brushed it away with a wave of his hand.

"Uhuh," Norivana smirked sarcastically, popping a grape into her mouth.

Unaril turned toward his brother and whispered something, which was apparently funny because both men began chuckling quietly. Norivana was glad to see Sarion was in higher spirits, but she couldn't help the creeping suspicion that Unaril had said something about _her_.

When everyone had more or less finished their fruity breakfast, Edoril stood and gathered his pack, followed by the rest of them, and led them out the door. It was a sunny day, but off toward the northwest from the sea Norivana could see what looked like storm clouds.

As Edoril and Aitto walked at the front, talking about who knows what, Norivana fell in place next to Lucian. "Think that'll hit here?" she pointed at the dark, somewhat ominous-looking horizon.

Lucian looked at it for a while, squinting his eyes. "It seems the wind is carrying it straight to us, but it'll probably be another hour or so before it reaches the city."

Norivana thought for a moment. "So does it rain a lot more here? We never got much in Orgrimmar."

"It's green here for a reason," Lucian replied with a light smile.

"For all I know that reason could be all you slap-happy druids and your tree-hugging tendencies," Norivana joked, and Lucian shoved her playfully with his forearm.

"Hey now," he warned jokingly, "Come on. I don't _actually_ hug the trees.. That would be weird." He paused a moment, speaking up a little louder and glancing to his left at the blue-haired elf, "Unaril does that."

Unaril, who'd had a long arm draped around his twin's shoulder and was having a seemingly highly entertaining conversation with him, jerked his head up. "What now?" he questioned, raising his brows and smiling.

Norivana laughed and Lucian waved his hand, "Oh, nothing, just telling Norivana of your exquisite love of nature."

Unaril squinted his eyes. "Why do I feel like I'm the butt of some poorly-executed joke of yours, Chief?"

"Because that's precisely the case," Lucian grinned at his blue-haired friend.

Unaril chuckled and Sarion laughed aloud, "At least you're not pretentious about your abilities, Silverpaw."

"Unlike you," Lucian joked back. Unaril laughed heartily and Sarion gave Lucian a smile, though it didn't quite seem genuine.

The poor guy was seriously having a rough time.

Lucian noticed that Sarion seemed a little off, and he reached a hand out to pat his back, but Sarion shrugged his shoulder away before Lucian's hand made contact.

"Only joking, my friend," Lucian began hesitantly, holding his hands up and giving him a look of concern, but Sarion suddenly flipped his 'angry' switch and muttered something hotly under his breath. He sped up, glaring straight ahead and walking up closer behind Edoril and Aitto.

Aitto bristled before he saw Sarion approaching and he turned his head, but when he saw Sarion, he gave Unaril a quick warning look before returning his attention to Edoril, who appeared to be telling some sort of story.

Unaril looked at Lucian with a quick sad smile, then increased his pace, jogging up a few steps next to his brother. He placed an arm around Sarion's shoulder, and rather than getting pissed like Norivana expected, Sarion seemed to lean into Unaril's support, slumping his shoulders and hanging his head a little. Unaril gave him a tight squeeze with his arm and began talking to him in even tones, walking step-in-step with his twin and doing his best to keep him calm.

After glancing at him, Norivana then noticed that Lucian looked extremely upset. So, unsure of what else to do, she reached over and squeezed his hand. "Remember, it's not your fault. He's just having a rough time, Lucian."

Lucian clenched his jaw and crossed his brows, but he didn't release her hand from his own as they walked in silence. She could still hear Unaril murmuring in a low tone, looking his brother in the eye and keeping his arm grasped firmly around his shoulder. Sarion looked almost like he was shaking, and Norivana was glad Lucian couldn't see his face, because if she didn't know any better, he looked like he was... crying? No, definitely not. But he looked like he was about to.

This was all so strange. Poor Sarion was going through something awful, so she decided one thing: right after this meeting with the king, if all goes well, she'll suggest that they leave the city at once. No one deserves to feel like Sarion.. And if they could fix it just by getting him out of the city, that's what they'd do.

As she was about to voice that idea to Lucian, she paused as she finally saw the keep up close. It rose up from the ground with tons of stone steps decorated with blue that climbed up to a gigantic doorway guarded by a massive stone lion, the Alliance sigil. In the center of the courtyard was a gigantic, intricate fountain that somehow tied the whole thing together.

She felt her heart lurch and gripped Lucian's hand a little tighter, and he smiled down at her reassuringly, "It'll go quite smoothly, I promise. Edoril has actually already spoken to His Majesty, so all he needs now is to meet the two of you."

That _was_ reassuring. It was good news that Edoril had already spoken to Varian, and she immediately felt better. She couldn't shake her anxiety entirely though, and it was all she could do to keep a cool head and not run away screaming.

The ominous climb up the steps felt like years. On their way up, the royal guards gave them cordial nods, and the guards stepped aside as the group approached the main entrance to the keep. Once they'd entered the door, they were greeted by a heavily-armored, very large man.

"Your weapons," the man motioned toward Aitto and Norivana, "I must ask that you leave them at the entrance, please. You may retrieve them on your way out."

Norivana grudgingly gave up her daggers and a few small throwing knives she'd picked up in Astranaar, and Aitto shucked his crudely-made temporary shield and hammer. After searching their packs, the guard smiled coolly and stepped back, allowing them to proceed.

They walked up a long ramp, and Norivana took her place beside Aitto, gripping his forearm tightly. He gave her an anxious look, and finally, after all this time, they saw him.

Tall, dark, intimidating, terrifying, everything she'd expected. King Varian Wrynn was standing tall in the center of the room, accompanied by a somewhat older-looking man. The king made direct eye contact with Norivana immediately, and she resisted looking away. A feeble mind is not a reputable trait, no matter who you want to impress.

Edoril was the first to kneel in a bow, and the rest of them followed quickly. When the man finally spoke, he shocked her. His voice, though strong and somewhat intense, was calm, not the maniacal roar that Hellscream had perfected.

"I take it introductions are in order?" Varian's rich, tough voice almost echoed in the large stone room. "Step forward." He looked straight at Norivana and Aitto, and they meagerly obeyed.

"I have been informed under good authority that the two of you are seeking refuge within my protection, and as such shall receive exemption of your actions as Horde soldiers. Am I correct?"

Norivana gave Aitto a sideways glance, and he gave her an encouraging nod, so she then turned back toward Varian. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"And is it true that both of you," he switched his gaze between them as he spoke, "on multiple occasions, held fast to your decisions to act against your Warchief, and in doing so were reprimanded and in turn received the drastic penalty of death?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Norivana repeated, getting worried. Where was he going with this?

Varian furrowed his thick brows and studied them a moment, frowning. "And so, as traitors to your own kind, you believe that I, Varian, King of Stormwind and Leader of the Alliance, should automatically welcome you into my fortified home with open arms?"

"Well, we were sort of hoping..." Aitto spoke up casually, but he trailed off when he saw the look Norivana gave him. She glanced back at the king, and for a moment she almost thought she saw traces of a smile amidst the scarred, angry face.

Trying to prove their sincerity, Norivana began speaking clearly, "We hold no allegiance to the Horde, nor to Warchief Garrosh Hellscream in any way. Those already-fraying bonds were severed completely when he sent us to our deaths as punishment for allowing a prisoner of war to escape, who you can see here," she nodded her head back at Lucian, who grinned and waved slightly at the king as she continued, "We do not pride ourselves as traitors; on the contrary, we take pride only in the fact that even as Garrosh's long-trained and hardened soldiers, we still value a certain level of morality above all else."

The king finally relented in his frown and raised his brows, looking almost impressed. "What is your opinion on Garrosh?"

"He is brilliant," she began, and when Aitto turned his head to give her a surprised look, she clarified, "He's brilliant, cruel, ruthless, bloodthirsty... He does not listen to reason, only to the sound of his own war-driven, merciless heart. His blatant sense of racism, especially toward Humans, defines his every action and is what makes the difference between him being a strong leader and a tyrant. And he is most definitely, and without a doubt, the latter."

A few silent moments passed, and Norivana worried she'd said the wrong thing.

Finally, Varian took a deep breath and grumbled something to the man next to him that Norivana could barely make out, and she was pretty sure she heard the line, "...Enemy of my enemy."

She waited tensely, eyes darting between the king and the man next to him.

He finally spoke to her. "Couldn't have said it better myself, young Blood Elf."

Norivana had been holding her breath and she finally released it, relieved.

"Now, what to do with you two," he mused. He looked a bit contemplative for a while, and then after an almost excruciating few seconds, he finally came to a decision. "Although I will not be providing the two of you with a full citizenship just yet, let it be known that from this moment forth, my own personal protection shall be bestowed upon you, Aitto Thunderhoof, and you, Norivana Sunstepper, until a time in the future when I feel you have earned your place among my people. You will both receive tabards and sigils of which will signify your place among my ranks, which should avoid confusion and/or disaster when confronting heroes of the Alliance."

Norivana's heart leapt excitedly, and she grinned over at Aitto, who appeared to be having the same reaction as her. Norivana and Aitto both bowed deeply in thanks, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Varian spoke up a little louder, beckoning Edoril's attention. "Master Frostweaver, if I might have a word with you," he began, and he turned back to Aitto and Norivana and the druids, "You are all free to go, and good luck."

They all bowed once again, saying their farewells and thank-yous before they turned to leave, and Edoril waved goodbye as Norivana practically skipped down the ramp that led out of the keep. They retrieved their weapons, and then it was all sort of a blur for the next few minutes.

Norivana was so ecstatic that she could barely see straight, and apparently it showed because Lucian seemed so ridiculously tickled when she'd tripped more than once going down the stairs, and he'd resigned to bracing her shoulder with one of his large hands to keep her from toppling over as they walked.

She was pretty sure Aitto had let out a loud hooting cheer once they'd left the keep vicinity, but then again that could've just been her own brain going haywire.

After a few minutes, and after she'd regained some proper consciousness, she realized they were walking toward the southern end of the city instead of the north.

"Where are we going?" she asked dizzily, and Aitto grinned and clapped a hand on her back.

"You've got a score to settle, remember?" he chuckled, and Sarion, who seemed to be in much higher spirits, piped up.

"Haven't forgotten about your ass-whooping already, have you?" he grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Sarion, if anyone's kicking anyone's ass, it'll be me."

He smirked at her and continued walking next to Unaril, who nudged him playfully and then ruffled his black hair in a noogie.

Aitto was right. Now that she had nothing else to do, it was time to settle a score.


	14. Judas

**Thank you _so_ much to my readers. When I get your wonderful reviews, they make my entire day and give me an extra push to write my chapters. I'm so glad you're all enjoying this, and I thank you a thousand times for your support. You're all amazing. :)**

**I have the entire remainder of the whole story planned out, and we can expect it to pick up a lot of speed in coming chapters!**

* * *

Rain had begun falling in small droplets onto Norivana's leather armor and into her hair as she circled the oblivious black-haired elf in front of her. He had shifted into his cat form at the start of the duel, but when he realized that they were both stealthing invisibly and it'd be a stalemate, he switched out and began calling down bolts of energy that crashed into the ground around him. This made it almost impossible for Norivana to get through to him without being hit, so she decided to wait it out.

He was turning in circles slowly, squinting his eyes at anything that moved in hopes of seeing his opponent. Norivana watched as his face held a cunning expression, the corners of his mouth turning up in a subtle smirk and his eyes flicking about sharply.

Aitto and the remaining two elves were both standing off to the side, watching Sarion perform his star-calling dance with amused expressions.

Norivana was having too much fun with it all. She was slinking around silently, just out of range of his spells, and was watching him become more and more frustrated as each energy burst just hit the ground and fizzled out. He would throw a few wide-range spells out at random, then wait a bit to regain some power, and repeat the process. Norivana watched from afar. He'd eventually get fatigued enough that she could take him down much easier.

Rogue tactics for the win.

Every time she would get a step closer to Lucian, the amulet would buzz a little stronger, which actually was a little distracting. Not because it was in any way annoying, but because it served as a constant declaration of her proximity to him. Perhaps that was his intent..

As one of Sarion's spells fizzled to a stop, Norivana snapped into focus and finally decided to take action. With one swift step through the shadows she was standing behind him, and she grabbed both of her blades and slammed the hilts to the sides of Sarion's head, then kicked a foot forward that knocked him stumbling. He whipped around and, although he was prepared for another direct attack, he _wasn't_ prepared for a fistful of dust straight to the eyes. And that's exactly what he got.

Norivana slowed a little when she realized that Sarion really hadn't been brought up a fighter. He'd learned druid talents, yes, but for the most part those talents were probably for skills like hunting and providing. He'd fought off the occasional Horde patrol that wandered too far to the north, yes, but without his allies beside him, he wasn't nearly as skilled a fighter as she had expected.

Her hesitation, however, was exactly what he needed to get an equal hand, and before she realized what was happening, he had retreated at least ten steps and a massive collection of roots and vines had sprung up out of the ground and wrapped around her legs, effectively pinning her in place. She'd seen this spell before, but for some reason this one seemed very out-of-place, as if it wasn't quite... natural.

That thought was confirmed when the roots themselves began to wither and blacken almost just as they had emerged from the ground, and then, to Norivana's shock, they gave off a sickly cloud of noxious green and black gas which engulfed her completely, forcing its way into her nose and mouth and into her lungs.

She began choking, coughing hysterically in attempts to rid the acidic air from her lungs. After a few seconds, her head began to whirl dizzily and she collapsed to her knees as the roots around them gave way and withered completely into a pile of black ash underneath her.

Her mind was racing. She had a decent level of magical resistances, but nothing could have prepared her for this.

Muffled shouts carried faintly to her ears, but all Norivana could think about was how the air itself felt like razor blades to her throat. It felt uncannily like the torture that Krazak'Zul had so kindly bestowed to her back when she and Aitto had nearly met their deaths, and for a split-second, she lost sense of reason and became terrified that he was back.

There was no way a simple Druid could manage as deathly a spell as this, though. That was for sure.

She crawled as best as she could away from the pile of toxic ash and after a moment managed to take a single deep breath of sweet, pure air. It was one of the biggest reliefs of her life. Even so, though, she could feel how the acid had eaten away at her throat and left it raw and painful.

Although her eyes were a bit foggy and her hearing wasn't faring well either, she did sense two large arms lift her up from the rough grass she had collapsed in. She heard Sarion's deep voice to her left, and she thought it sounded worried, but she couldn't tell for sure. Lucian's voice was very close, and though she couldn't exactly understand what he was saying, he sounded angry. Sarion and Lucian spoke back and forth a little, but her brain was so foggy she couldn't comprehend anything. It was extremely strange for her.

As her eyes finally came into focus, she registered that Lucian was carrying her swiftly over to the side of the outer Stormwind walls, underneath the shade of a large oak that rested just beyond the little wooden fences that lined the road. He gingerly placed her down, setting her partially upright and allowing her back and head to rest against the large base of the tree. He knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on the sides of her face, lifting it up slightly and inspecting her eyes worriedly with his own, his brows creasing with concern.

She started to feel weak again, and her eyes fluttered shut. Each breath she took was still extremely painful, and she knew there was no way she'd be able to endure this for much longer.

"Vana, stay with me," Lucian murmured anxiously, taking a hand and brushing stray hairs from her face. "Come on, Norivana, breathe. Can you hear me? Can you speak? Can you tell me what's wrong or what hurts?"

His words brought her back a bit but she couldn't yet answer. Sarion, Unaril, and Aitto were standing a little too closely as well, peering over Lucian's shoulders to see if she was alright.

Sarion spoke up. "I honestly don't know what happened,-"

"Yes you do." Aitto interrupted the elf sharply, glaring at him. "You know exactly what happened. Don't you dare try to deny it even now."

Sarion snapped his mouth shut, his expression immediately going from worried to provoked. "Oh? You claim to know what it is that caused this? Enlighten me, O mighty Paladin, for I am in the dark." His words were practically dripping with sarcasm.

"You truly want me to announce this," Aitto warned, "In front of everyone?"

Sarion paused, realization flashing across his features. "I..." He looked at Unaril almost accusingly. "Unaril?"

Unaril opened his mouth to speak for a second, then closed it, then opened it again. "I... I told him."

"You _what_?" Sarion's eyes flashed angrily.

Sensing hostility, Lucian turned his head and stood quickly. "Hold on, what is going on?"

Now having recovered to the point of where she could form coherent thoughts again, Norivana watched them all in an almost dazed stupor. What were they all fighting about?

Unaril looked like a trapped animal, but he appeared to be doing his best at pleading his case for whatever he did wrong. "Aitto could sense it. And he's legitimately worried for you, Sarion. He might be able to help you."

"I trusted you," Sarion spat, eyes burning furiously, now obviously flickering in between gold and green, "I can't believe I actually thought you would help me, you worthless, wretched bastard," he jammed a finger at Unaril, "You are no longer my brother." He had taken a step forward and was glaring murderously at his fairer twin, who wasn't handling this well.

Now extremely concerned, Lucian stepped in and placed a broad hand on Sarion's chest, pressing him to take a step back. "Sarion. Think about what you're saying for a moment. What's wrong? What is going on?"

"He is corrupted," Aitto butted in, glaring at the black-haired elf, "With a dark magic. Fel energy. It's tainting him."

Everything finally clicked in Norivana's mind. The anger, the lashing out, the super mood swings. For someone as pure as a Night Elf, the fel energy was a bad, bad thing.

Lucian's eyes widened and his brows contorted in horror and concern, "What?" he almost whispered, "Sarion, how? How long?"

Sarion's lips twitched and he slowly and deliberately craned his neck to the sides, eliciting loud popping and cracking noises as the joints stretched. He raised one single brow, "A while now. It's all thanks to your new plaything," his eyes flicked down at Norivana. He had gone from apologetic to spiteful within mere moments.

Norivana, who was still sitting back on the ground, attempted to stand, bracing herself against the tree as support. The action made her head spin, but she managed to stay upright. "I'm sorry, but what the _hell_ are you talking about?" she asked in raised octaves, eyes wide. Immediately after, though, she regretted it, because speaking made it feel like she was swallowing razors. That acidic cloud had seriously screwed with her entire respiratory system, and she was feeling the full effects.

Unaril butted in. "He doesn't mean it, Norivana. It's not your fault," he turned his attention to Aitto and Lucian, who were still watching Sarion warily, "He'll be okay, I promise. We just need a good healer or, because we're lucky, a good Paladin trained in the ways of the light." Unaril nodded toward Aitto.

Lucian had another matter to press, however. "You knew about this the whole time and you didn't think to tell us?" He questioned Unaril, speaking in a hushed tone.

"I promised him I wouldn't, that we would figure it out together,-"

"To hell with your fucking promises!" Sarion growled, anger returning tenfold. It was all Lucian could do to keep Sarion from launching himself at Unaril this time, and he placed his entire body between them, shoving a forearm against Sarion's chest.

Unaril stopped what he was saying and gave his twin an incredibly painful look. Norivana could tell it was Unaril's own personal hell having to watch Sarion act like this, to be a silent observer to his beloved brother's slow corruption.

"It will be difficult," Aitto spoke up, "But I can fix it. He's still early enough in the process that it won't affect him permanently yet, but we must hurry."

Lucian nodded swiftly while Sarion grumbled his own personal spiteful remarks, which brought even more painful looks from Unaril.

"Good. In the meantime, don't duel any more people, okay?" Lucian gave Sarion a look before returning his attention to Norivana, who was still taking deep, painful breaths in attempts to regain her composure.

He took a few steps closer to her and placed a hand under her jaw, raising her chin gently. His eyes searched hers. "Are you sure you're alright? That did _not_ look like you should've come out of it alive, let alone standing."

"I'll be fine," she reassured both herself and the men around her. But even her voice sounded almost gravelly, and saying those three words elicited so much pain that tears pricked her eyes and she couldn't help but let a look of torment wash over her face.

Lucian creased his brows and let out a breath. "Shh," he almost cooed, rubbing her arms with his hands reassuringly, "Just give me one second. It'll be okay."

Although a little thrown off, Norivana just let him do his thing. It's not that she didn't like this overly-caring side of him, it was just unexpected.

Lucian took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and almost immediately his hands sprung to life, with all sorts of glowing swirls whirling around his fingertips. He opened his eyes slowly and locked onto her own intensely as he placed his hands back onto the sides of her face, down at the base of her jaw and ears.

The heal traveled into the ragged remainder of her throat and vocal cords, then down into her lungs, soothing the acid-eaten flesh and knitting it all back together. The pain ceased gradually, but she still felt like her lungs weighed a thousand pounds.

Lucian kept his worried look. "She's still pale," he observed, and he took a step back. "Aitto, can you use a cleansing spell? The magic has imprinted itself and your talents are best fit to detox."

Aitto took Lucian's place and gave Norivana a sympathetic smile before stepping a half step back and holding up his hands, clenching his jaw and summoning vivid rays of light into his hands that shone out the tips of his fingers. He then transferred all the energy to one hand and held it out straight in front of him, directing it toward her, and allowing the energy to transfer to her. The surge rid her lungs of any remaining toxins that had taken refuge there, and after a few more seconds she was finally able to take a full, clean breath.

"Thanks," she breathed, vowing to never again take a simple breath for granted.

Lucian gave her one last subtle concerned look before turning back to the others. "Sarion, Aitto knows how to cleanse fel energy. You need to understand that this will be good for you."

Sarion had calmed a little, but he did send Aitto a poisonous look. "Don't even think about taking your magic near me."

Aitto bristled. "You are sick, and I can fix it. But I need you to let me."

"I am not sick," Sarion hissed, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Unaril, "Nor am I corrupted or infected or any other outlandish thing you people may come up with."

He switched from angry to almost pleased, speaking in a tone as if trying to convince them, and his eyes flicked green again. "Don't you see? This terrible power, it is a gift. Why would you try to eradicate something so brilliant?"

"Brilliant?" Unaril watched his brother cautiously. "Listen to yourself, Sarion. This is fel magic, the essence of all demons and devils alike. Surely you see the error in what you're saying. That's the magic talking, not you."

Sarion shook his head, ignoring Unaril. "With this power, I can be incredible. I've been holding it back, but now I can see you're all too naive to understand. Perhaps someday you will, but not now." He pointed a finger at Aitto, "And I am not going to allow this man to take it away from me."

Unaril reached a hand out to place it on Sarion's arm, but Sarion jerked away, sending him a glare.

"And you," he hissed at Unaril, "I am finished with you. In fact," he glanced at all of them, "Consider this my resignation from the tribe, Silverpaw."

Norivana and the others all watched dumbly as Sarion turned and left, walking southward down the road.

After a long silence, Lucian cleared his throat. "Unaril,-"

"He'll be okay," Unaril seemed to be trying to convince himself more than anything else, "Let's just give him some time."

Lucian pressed his mouth shut, clenching his jaw and looking back down the road where Sarion had retreated. The rain was falling steadily now and although it was still afternoon, the sky had darkened from the oncoming storm. They were still in the shelter of the large tree, which was providing a surprising amount of protection against the rain.

"I suppose we should go after him, though," Unaril finally muttered, staring wistfully out at the rain. Norivana felt so bad for him. What Sarion was going through was horrible, both for him and his friends, but Unaril was probably feeling the worst of it. Sarion had clearly lost his old self, which was tearing Unaril apart. This was his twin brother, after all.

Lucian nodded somberly and took a step out into the rain, and the others followed him, walking down the path for a while. Because of the heavy woods, Norivana couldn't see too far of the path before it was too shaded to see further.

After a while they halted to a stop when they saw a terrified human girl, no more than thirteen, sprinting toward them, completely drenched from the rain and breathing heavily. She stopped right in front of Lucian and unexpectedly threw her arms around his waist, sobbing and forming incoherent words.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Lucian kneeled down onto one knee, inspecting the poor girl and trying to calm her by speaking evenly, "Shh, are you hurt?"

The girl shook her head frantically. "Goldshire," she huffed, trying to get her words out amidst pants, "It's... It's..."

"What's happened?" Unaril spoke up behind them, turning his head to the side and giving the girl a worried look.

"They showed up out of the sky," she sobbed.

"Who did?" Lucian implored.

"Horde."

Lucian inhaled a sharp breath and tensed his shoulders, standing quickly. "Get to Stormwind. There are a lot of heroes lounging about outside the city. Round them up and bring them to Goldshire." The girl obeyed immediately.

"Sarion's there," Unaril whispered, then broke into a run before anyone could stop him.

"Unaril!" Lucian called, and when Unaril kept going, he glanced back at Aitto and Norivana. "Come on!"

Without a moment's hesitation Norivana followed him, and they all sprinted toward Goldshire, which was right around a bend in the road.

Right as they caught up with Unaril, they saw the town. There were at least twenty Horde soldiers there, and all of whom were ruthlessly attacking the townspeople as well as the crowd of Alliance heroes who had taken to lounging around the town.

Norivana knew exactly whose army this was, and her blood boiled. Hellscream. He had sent twenty-five of his best soldiers to attack a tiny, helpless town within Varian's home city limits. This would be taken as a direct invasion, she knew it. Hellscream was definitely getting crazier by the minute.

At the sight of so many innocents under attack, Lucian went into a defensive mode. Without another word, he leapt into range and began throwing out heals at all the gravely wounded people littering the ground, while Unaril, after not seeing his brother anywhere, joined Lucian's side and set to attacking with spells.

Aitto let out a roar and held up his large weapon threateningly, charging in and smashing into another Tauren. The other Tauren was obviously taken completely by surprise and fell down without much of a struggle before Aitto's mace made direct contact with the guy's head, knocking him face-down into the ground.

Norivana slid around and began darting between the soldiers, throwing a stab here and a slice there, cutting at pretty much any vulnerable spots in their armor. The soldiers turned their attention toward Lucian and Unaril and began advancing toward them, only to be flanked by Aitto and thrown back and stunned.

Although the four of them were managing to at least distract the mob of soldiers, Norivana knew there was no way they could actually kill all of them unless they focused on one at a time, and that was near-impossible.

Just when she had lost nearly all hope of actually defeating the group, she heard shouts behind her and saw that the young girl had recruited a large number of heroes to help, and it was now a much fairer fight.

People of every race and class came blundering in, with Mages shooting spells of frost and fire and Warriors clashing their swords against those of the Horde. Lucian continued to send out heals to everyone who required them, and a few other priests were doing the same. In short, they had definitely outnumbered their attackers in both skill and determination. Within minutes, it was obvious the Horde soldiers weren't going to succeed, as the Alliance fighters had gotten the extra bravery boost when it came to fighting for their homeland.

The rain had made it a little more difficult to quick-step around her opponents, but Norivana managed to utilize it by striking in such a way that would send them off-balance and cause them to slip around in the mud and fall, making them vulnerable.

Amidst the battle, one of the Horde Mages, a stout Orc in detailed armor, had retreated back behind the mob and shouted out to the rest of his comrades. "To me!" He bellowed, "To the portal!"

As the Alliance forces pushed, the Horde retreated back toward the portal that the Mage had created. When she finally saw it, Norivana recognized the sight that lay within the portal. It was Orgrimmar. The Orc had created an escape portal straight back into the city, and the soldiers were retreating through it fast.

She heard a familiar voice shout, and she turned to see Unaril running full speed at an Undead Horde soldier that had strayed outside the group. Although a little surprised at first as to why Unaril seemed so urgent to reach the Undead lady, Norivana finally saw it. The woman was running with her blade raised and her eyes locked onto Sarion, who must have appeared sometime within the last few minutes. Sarion was next to the portal, fighting off a few soldiers here and there who came after him while they reached it.

Just before the woman reached Sarion, Unaril slammed into her with a full tackle and knocked her to the side, letting her blade clatter to Sarion's feet. Unaril finished her off with a swift blow and stood, remaining beside his brother to get him out of harm's way. The two of them fought side-by-side, with Unaril using nature spells and Sarion having picked up the blade at his feet and using it against the soldiers.

The Horde forces continued to dwindle until there were only a few left, and as Norivana glanced at Sarion, she saw his eyes flickering between a gold-green color to completely green. That was the fel energy fighting to take over, she recognized it.

His eyes flicked toward the portal, which had been gradually growing smaller as time passed. Only ten seconds or so before it'd close, and for a moment Norivana thought Sarion might run into it as well, the way he was eyeing it.

And weirdly enough, that's exactly what he did.

As Sarion eyed the portal, Unaril had reached around his brother's side and sent a powerful blast of moonfire straight at the one remaining enemy. Sarion unexpectedly took off in a run toward the dimming portal, sword in hand, only to have Unaril run after him, grabbing at his arm.

"Sarion, no! Don't follow them there; they'll kill you!" Unaril shouted through the rain, trying to reason with Sarion, but it was too late.

Sarion's eyes glared a bright, intense green, and he whipped around to face Unaril with a murderous expression, then proceeded to stab the point of his sword straight into his blue-haired brother's chest.

Norivana watched numbly as Unaril stumbled backward and fell to his knees against the muddy ground, his golden eyes rapidly dimming. He slumped over to the side and collapsed onto the ground with the blade stuck deep into his heart, allowing the falling rain to mix into the steadily-growing pool of blood that seeped out from beneath his motionless form.

Smirking with one corner of his mouth and cocking his head disdainfully at his fallen twin, Sarion stepped backward straight through the portal moments before it vanished, leaving them all in an empty, shocked silence.

**Sad cliffhanger, don't worry; I am already writing the next chapter. ;)**


	15. Grief

**I'm switching to Lucian's point of view for a bit. Just a heads up, so none of you get confused. Hopefully I will be able to write it so it's easy to pick up on that, but still. Just letting you all know. :P**

**Also: I wrote this chapter while listening to "Gandalf's Lament" and "The Tudors s3 OST - The Death of Jane Seymour - A Howling Wilderness" on YouTube. If that doesn't make a person feel all the feels, I don't know what does. TRY IT! I dare you!**

* * *

_In case you have trained yourself to ignore the bold text, I'm saying this again: This is now switching to Lucian's point of view. Obviously still third person, but my intention is to give a bit more insight to his emotions in all this. I feel like his are a lot more prominent than Vana's._

* * *

Time stood still for a moment. Lucian almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Unaril, his long-time best friend and the closest thing he had to a brother, was lying dead in the street. It had only happened in seconds. One moment Lucian had been swelling with triumph as the final enemy soldiers fled, and the next, he'd watched as his beloved friend was ruthlessly murdered in cold blood.

And even worse, it was _Sarion_ who did it.

Sarion was Unaril's twin brother and closest companion. His other half.

And he'd killed him.

Lucian's eyes almost glazed over in horror and he was barely able to hear anything but the beating of his own heart. He and Norivana stood dumbstruck for a split second while Aitto let out a shout and ran to Unaril's aid, gathering orbs of light in his hands. Lucian barely noticed his own legs carrying him to his fallen friend as well, and it was all he could do to keep from turning away in revulsion when he saw Unaril's dead, dull, lifeless and unglowing eyes staring into the sky and the blade sunken deep into his chest.

A large pool of blood had formed underneath him and his clothing was torn and tattered from the battle. Lucian and Aitto both went to work in vain to possibly somehow find a way to bring him back. If it had been any other form of death, perhaps through magic, they would've had more time. They could have resurrected him. But no. Cold, hard steel of a blade is impossible to reverse, especially when it's been plunged straight through the heart.

And what was even worse was that Sarion must have somehow infused the blade with the fel corruption, because all around the place where the blade had been inserted, the flesh had been burnt and charred away. This had also no doubt happened to his heart, and that itself was one more reason why this wouldn't work. One cannot restart a heart when it's not even fully there to begin with.

Lucian's eyes were wet and blurry, and it took him a moment to realize it wasn't the falling rain that blurred them, it was tears. Even after the blade had been removed and the two of them had been sending bursting spells straight into Unaril's chest, it was all useless. Minutes passed, and a few Alliance heroes had stopped to observe silently, all looking somber.

After one final failing surge of energy to Unaril's chest in an attempt to somehow re-grow the half-destroyed heart, Lucian sat back on his heels and stared blankly at his friend, eyes almost unseeing. His hands were dripping with Unaril's blood and in a fit of desperation he leaned down and gripped Unaril's shirt one last time, placing his forehead down onto his friend's chest and letting out a tortured cry.

Aitto tried a few more times to jump-start Unaril's cold body, but when he realized it was all a fruitless attempt, he too collapsed back, sitting down in the street and staring almost disbelievingly at the lifeless blue-haired elf.

No one had spoken yet. No one wanted to, to acknowledge that this was real, that it actually happened. Minutes ago, Unaril had been alive and striving to protect the people he loved. And now he was just... gone.

Unaril, the fun-loving brother Lucian never had, was dead.

Lucian could barely contain himself. Even when he'd lost his friends in Raynewood, this didn't compare. It had hit him like a sack of bricks, and right now he felt nothing but complete and utter grief to the point of near blindness. Now he was letting everything, all the pain from the past few weeks, catch up with him. He gripped his hands into fists, shaking, and tried to come to terms but couldn't. It hurt too bad.

The pain literally _hurt_.

He felt Norivana's hand grip his shoulder and after a second he realized he had been yelling in anguish, shouting to the point of hoarseness at the sky, toward the falling rain. He let it strangle to a silent sob and he reached an arm out and gripped Norivana's shirt, pulling her to him into a grief-struck hug. They stayed like that for a while, him on his knees, broken and sobbing, and her standing before him, holding him close.

She muttered unintelligible yet calming words to him, running her hands softly through his snowy hair and holding his head against her, letting him vent his anguish. He had technically just lost both of his closest friends, Sarion to a corruption and Unaril to that corruption's manipulation. Having them both ripped away in the blink of an eye so suddenly had completely knocked his feet out from under him. Right now, the only consistent thing he had there was Norivana, and even she might be temporary, for all he knew. With that thought he clenched his hands tighter around the cloth, refusing to let go in irrational fear that she too would disappear.

Everything was falling apart.

Aitto, who could sense Lucian's pain, had never experienced this level of loss coming from another person. It was almost drowning him, and it was all he could do to stay afloat. It was times like this when he felt remorse for having these talents.

After an extensive amount of time of just sitting there in the rain next to Unaril's broken body, Aitto stood and coaxed a now-numb Lucian up to his feet. It was still raining and was beginning to thunder loudly, and they needed to get indoors.

"What should we do with him?" Aitto asked quietly about Unaril, looking at Lucian empathetically.

Lucian gave him a tortured glance, his eyes straining, but finally spoke up. His voice was quiet, low and rusty, "We need to return him to the tribe."

Aitto sighed stressfully and creased his brows. "Is it wise to leave? Is it possible to send him home with someone else? We need to speak to Varian immediately; those were Hellscream's, and there's something going on here. We need to get to the bottom of it before something like this happens again. And now that Sarion is there, we're involved whether we want to be or not."

Lucian wiped his face with his forearm to clear the rainwater out of his eyes, but that just smudged his forehead with mud and blood. "I suppose so. I don't know. No one from the tribe is here to take him back other than myself."

"What about Catalpa?" Norivana wondered aloud after a moment.

Lucian thought for a second. He'd completely forgotten his mother was here. "I... Yes, she could take him back."

"Any idea where she is now?"

"Edoril will know," Lucian muttered, refusing to look at Unaril, keeping his eyes locked ahead or on Norivana, "Let me make a portal. Aitto, you wouldn't mind fetching him would you? He is most likely in the keep." He waited a moment to speak again, this time in a much more broken tone, "I need to get the body out of the rain."

Aitto nodded somberly. "Of course."

Lucian summoned a portal, a skill he'd learned due to the fact that his father had been teaching him Mage talents for ten years. He was born with the natural knack for arcane magic, something passed down from Edoril, and yet his mom's side provided him with the Druidic skills. Best of both worlds.

Once he had confirmed that the portal was stable, he finally took a deep breath and looked back down at Unaril, eyes tightening and jaw clenching to keep from losing it again. He knelt down and gingerly picked up the body, not caring about the mud and blood that covered his arms and clothing. He made eye contact with Norivana, and she looked torn-up herself, but she gave him a compassionate look, one that showed how badly she truly felt for him. For someone brought up with a past like hers, she certainly knew her way around people's emotions. Especially his.

He led them through, carrying his slain friend in his arms, and they all three trudged down through the tower to make their way to his destination. He had a small place in northern Stormwind who would allow them to take temporary refuge there while Aitto went to fetch Edoril and Catalpa. Although he didn't normally stay in that tiny house, it still existed, and right now he was renting it out to a friend of his. But it'd at least be a place to stay; the inn they were staying at wouldn't allow them to bring in a dead body.

Many people, young and old, stopped and stared on in horror at the three of them, with Lucian carrying a lifeless, bloodied Unaril through the streets of the city and being escorted by a Tauren and a Blood Elf. At the sight of them a child started crying loudly and was escorted away by a boy who looked like he could be his older brother.

As they all made their way through the city, Lucian fell into a deep train of thought. Never, never in a thousand years would he have expected this day to end up like it did. It was to be a joyful one, a day for Norivana and Aitto to celebrate their acceptance into the Alliance.

He would never have guessed it would end with him transporting the ravaged corpse of his dead best friend.

After a while he had led them up through the Dwarven District to the north and out into the open wooded area with a large lake in the center. On the far end was a small cabin, which to Lucian's surprise looked barren. There was no smoke in the chimney, nor were there any signs of life, and the farmland beside it hadn't been tilled in a while.

Lucian approached the door and knocked with his elbow, and at the first knock the door eased itself open, revealing an empty house. He carried the body in and placed it gently on the unfurnished bed, then inspected a note that had been left on the wooden table.

* * *

_Master Silverpaw,_

_I am writing this to inform you that I have packed up and moved on; a relative of mine has offered me a place with him. I apologize for the informality of the note. I would have confronted you in person had I been able to, but sources told me you had left the city._

_I have left a reasonable amount of money to pay for the inconvenience and I wish you luck in whatever you do. _

_Thank you for providing me with a home when others would not, and perhaps someday our paths will cross again._

_Sincerely,_

_Jonathan Harrington_

* * *

Lucian took the silver coins that Jonathan had left him and slid them into a tattered pocket, then turned his attention to Aitto.

"I would go with you, but I prefer to stay with Unaril until we've finished what we need to. Edoril should still be in the keep. I'd like you to ask him to summon Catalpa to my Stormwind house." He then looked at Norivana. "You may accompany him, or stay here. Whatever you prefer."

Lucian saw what looked like some sort of silent understanding pass between Aitto and Norivana within seconds, and Aitto spoke up. "I'll go alone. You should stay."

Norivana nodded at him and walked over next to Lucian while Aitto sauntered out of the building. Lucian was silently thankful. If he had been left alone with his dead companion, he wasn't sure he could've handled it.

Lucian took one last long wistful look at the body on the bed, then turned and exited the building, allowing Norivana through and then closing the door behind them. Under the shelter of so many trees, the rain barely reached the two of them.

He walked over and sat down about ten feet from the still pond and sat down in the grass, placing his elbows on his knees and staring into the water, watching while the rain seemed to make the surface dance as each drop hit the otherwise stagnant pool. He did his best not to think about anything.

He didn't want to think.

His mind betrayed his wishes as he recalled his past with the twins. He remembered when they were children, of how much fun they'd had. Sarion had always been so full of life. It was such a shame Norivana hadn't been able to meet him when he was like that. All she knew of him was negativity. But no, he and Unaril had been very alike: bright, brilliant, and fun. Never a dull moment with those two.

He recalled how they initially grew so close, with him at the time being eleven and Unaril and Sarion being eight years old. The twins' parents had been killed by a raiding Horde party while they were out hunting. The party hadn't discovered the main group, but they had discovered Unaril and Sarion's mother and father, along with about five other Druids, and only one of whom escaped and survived. Lucian's mother then took it upon herself to raise the two of them as well as her own son, so they were just as much her children as Lucian was.

"So they really are like your brothers," he heard Norivana's voice reach his ears and he realized he had been speaking his thoughts. She was sitting next to him in the grass and had been listening quietly to his musings.

"Yes," Lucian replied back, his voice involuntarily breaking a little. He began picking at the grass beside him, uprooting it from its base and tossing it forward, a habit he'd developed to keep himself occupied.

Norivana didn't say anything but she did reach a hand out and placed it on his own, stilling it, causing it to cease its destruction of the grassy terrain. She gripped her fingers around his and he sighed heavily, his mouth forming a line and eyes threatening to spill again. With anyone else, he probably would try not to come off as so emotional. But only with those you trust will you allow yourself to lean on them, and that's what Norivana was doing for him. She was the pillar he needed to stay upright.

If he'd had any doubts about her, they vanished when he realized to himself that only someone who truly cares about you will help you carry this kind of weight.

So he let himself break again.

He cried completely silent sobs, which one wouldn't even be able to pick up had his shoulders not been shaking with each one. He thought he was done with this, that he'd gotten out all this pain already. But here it was again, welling up and forming a lump in his throat. If he tried to say anything, he knew he would not be able to control it. So he stayed silent, and they both remained like that for a very long time, watching and listening to the rainstorm and the insects and amphibian life teeming around them that called out together in a harmonious song of chirps and croaks. It was as if nature itself was coming together to sing a few last rites for Unaril, and it was beautiful.

The rainstorm had quieted by the time Lucian saw a very unexpected sight approaching them. It was Aitto, followed by two white haired elves, Edoril and Cat, and behind them, to his own disbelief, his entire tribe. He stood abruptly, staring at them with wide eyes, unsure of how to react. His tribe was here? In Stormwind?

Literally all of the members were there, approaching in a silent group, all offering Lucian sad looks. Catalpa walked up to Lucian and without a word wrapped her arms around her son in a hug.

"I'm so sorry," Lucian began apologizing, knowing that if he hadn't taken them with him, the twins could've still been okay. They were her sons, and he'd failed them. He'd failed her.

Cat shook her head and wiped tears from her cheeks, then placed her hands on the sides of his face and gave him a motherly smile, "It's not your fault, Sweetie."

He clenched his jaw. Leave it to his mother, who he hadn't spoken to in a decade, to immediately go into her mom-mode the moment they reunited.

Catalpa turned to Norivana, placing her delicate hand on Vana's shoulder, "Thank you," she almost whispered, giving Norivana a look that Lucian couldn't read but Norivana must have been able to, because Norivana nodded understandingly at her.

Lucian sort of stood numbly while many of the members of his tribe spoke their condolences or cried in each other's arms. Unaril and Sarion were some of the most beloved by the tribe. They had been, whether they realized it or not, the leaders of their merry band of friends, the men Norivana had met when she had first arrived in Raynewood. All the tribe members, the old and the young, had all taken a special fondness of the two, of their adept ability to bring humor and happiness to the most dull of moments.

Losing them both was taking its toll on everyone.

After a little while, they had retrieved the body and brought it out to a far corner of the woods, in a tiny clearing being sprinkled with rain. Many of the Druids who hadn't cried yet began crying when reality sunk in and they saw their lifeless friend.

With as many druids as there were, the actual burial would be very short. A Druid's burial technique is quite beautiful. A spell is held that actually speeds up the decomposition process of the body as it returns to the soil, which in turn allows whatever desired plant life, usually flowers, to grow in the place of the grave. Life prevailing in death.

This time, Lucian didn't want to do just flowers. Unaril needed something bigger. And according to Edoril, the tribe needed a place to stay..

"We should grow a great tree here," Lucian murmured to his father, "If they're all staying in this valley it'd do them some good to have a piece of home."

Edoril cocked his head ever so slightly, "You think that's possible? To build a massive hollow tree here like in Raynewood?"

"With all of us working together, yes. We're powerful, especially when working together as one."

Edoril thought for a little while, tapping his index finger on his chin in contemplation, "Varian _did_ say this section of land was for the new Druids to sculpt and thrive in as you please. Any friend of the Alliance is a friend of him personally, after what happened in Ashenvale and you all defending the land against Hellscream's attacks. I don't think he would be opposed to it."

Lucian sighed and nodded, rubbing his eyes and then looking around for a moment to see where the red-haired elf had gone to. Norivana was over speaking with Lena and Aitto, and all three of them looked somewhat somber, which wasn't strange; everyone here was upset. He turned back to Edoril.

"Let's get this started, then. We need to speak to the King about Goldshire."

Edoril nodded and as Lucian approached the body, all the elves stopped what they were doing and followed, surrounding it in a wide circle just like what had been done after the battle of Raynewood.

Lucian stepped forward, kneeling down in front of ever-sleeping Unaril, and crossed Unaril's arms over his chest. He then pulled out a maple seed from his pouch and placed it in Unaril's hands, clasping the cold fingers around the tiny object.

The other Druids watched somberly, understanding the plan. That seed would be their focus. After Lucian had returned to his place in the circle, the Druids all went through the same routine as well, with Lucian himself leading the spell that wrapped the grass and vines around Unaril's body, cradling it and pulling it deep into the ground.

Lucian felt the sadness welling back up in his chest when he saw Unaril finally completely disappear within the earth. The sight validated that Unaril was gone, that he was completely, utterly, totally gone. Instead of trying to repress it, Lucian took a deep breath harnessed all that emotion, that power, into his spell. It felt like it was draining him, but he welcomed the feeling, the thought that maybe it could drain the sadness away with it.

With the help of all of the other nature-infused druids, the maple seed had begun growing out of the ground at an impressive speed, sucking up nutrients and absorbing the rainwater. Within a minute it was at least twenty feet tall and still growing, its trunk constantly widening and its roots delving deep into the ground.

Lucian kept with the spell for as long as he could physically stand it. Most of the other Druids tired after a few minutes, but Lucian and just two others kept at it for nearly ten minutes, coaxing the tree to continue its vertical climb, willing the ground to give up its minerals to support the young tree. He focused on making it grow hollow, but not in such a way that would kill the tree. It still had all necessary components, they were all just compacted into thinner walls.

When he finally stopped and nearly collapsed out of sheer exhaustion, he stepped back and inspected their tree. It was astonishingly large, larger than he had expected it to be. It towered over all the other old trees in the area, at least two or three times their height, and easily ten times wider at the base. At the bottom was a good-sized space that would soon be used as a doorway, and he knew for a fact that the inside of the tree was an upward spiral with different floors.

Feeling pleased with everyone's work, Lucian almost stumbled over to the side of the area, going back to sit in the grass next to the pond. This time he removed his shoes and placed his tired feet in the cool water, then slumped forward, placing his head in his palms and elbows on his knees.

"That was... incredible," a soft voice carried to his ears after a long while, and he raised his head, searching for its owner. He knew the voice, and he hadn't realized how much it calmed his nerves until now.

Norivana was standing about ten feet away, staring at the water, looking thoughtful as ever. Lucian didn't say anything, just nodded and turned back toward the pond, watching the surface ripple from the breeze.

He sensed her join his side and sit down, her necklace giving away her location. Depending on how close she was, he could almost feel the tug of it in the back of his mind, pulling at his magical power source. He felt so thankful for that thing. He didn't tell her this, but when Sarion's spell had hit her during their duel, it very well may have killed her if not for that necklace. He had felt it activate its protective barrier and had actually sensed the negative energy eating away at his own magic. If not for that simple gift, she might not be sitting there next to him.

And that thought scared the hell out of him. He couldn't lose any more people.

After another quick glance toward her as if to give himself the peace of mind that she was still there, he heard Aitto approaching.

"Are you two ready? We must go to the king."

Lucian sighed and nodded, hoisting himself up and then offering a hand to Norivana, joining the ebony Tauren.

Edoril joined them, and the four of them silently and quickly made their way through the streets to the keep to speak with Varian.

* * *

"Then my suspicions are confirmed," Varian's voice growled out, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes in stress, "This has been leading up for quite a while. It was only a matter of time before he pulled the first move."

"What exactly are you talking about?" Lucian questioned, creasing his brows.

Varian sighed. "Over the past few months, Garrosh Hellscream has been recalling his troops from their posts all over Azeroth and Outlands. They just... leave, in the dead of night. We've taken over numerous Horde outposts due to sheer abandonment. I thought perhaps he was gathering them for Pandaria or something of the sort, but no. I suppose it was I, the fool to give him the benefit of the doubt. This Goldshire attack was a taunt. Meant to do nothing but spark irritation." He grumbled the next line almost to himself, "Oh what I would do to have Thrall back in that creature's place..."

"And what is Garrosh planning to do with all of these troops?" Norivana spoke up this time.

The King shrugged slightly, shaking his head, "I am not entirely sure, but what he's done today has confirmed one thing: we need reinforcements. It is possible he plans to wipe out all human territories."

"Is he rash enough to do such a thing?" Lucian worried.

"Garrosh is the most reckless, bloodthirsty man I know," Varian confirmed, "And his people follow him out of fear and fear alone. Fear is a powerful agent of compulsion, and with the number of troops he has, I have no doubt he could destroy us if we are not careful."

"What would you have us do, then?" Aitto asked intently.

"You all," Varian began, inspecting their tattered, broken demeanor, "are free to lay low for a while. I will be sending out messengers to the four corners, calling in the heroes of the Alliance. I'll be calling in the biggest and best, some of whom I have trained personally. No matter what Garrosh decides to do, I have a feeling it will not be in our best interest. But we will be ready, whatever he ends up doing, that is for certain."

A few silent moments passed, and Lucian spoke up. "And what of our companion Sarion? He is either dead or working with Garrosh, seeing as he followed the soldiers straight into Orgrimmar. I will assure you his actions are not by his own intentions, but through his corruption. What will you do with him if or when he is in your custody?"

Varian thought a moment. "I suppose that will be decided when the issue presents itself. Any actions I take will be through the Alliance's best interest. If he is found guilty of treason, he will die for his crimes."

"I understand," Lucian nodded, "But I will implore you, Your Majesty, to seek out other options as opposed to execution. If we can get him back in time, the corruption can be reversed and thus his honor redeemed. He may have committed a terrible, _terrible_ crime, but his actions were not his own."

"If not his actions, then whose?" Varian raised a brow.

"He is corrupted," Lucian repeated, pleading, "Anything he does as of now is the work of the demons that possess him."

"If what you say is true, I will give him a strict pardon, _if-_" Varian paused, "and only if, that possession can be eradicated within a certain amount of time. I will not allow a traitor free reign in my kingdom."

"Thank you," Lucian bowed respectfully, feeling a little relieved. If captured, at least Sarion would have a chance to redeem himself. If there was any way to get his old friend back, Lucian would do it.

"And now," Varian spoke to them all, "I must work some strategies with my military officers. Master Frostweaver, if you would please join us, your help is invaluable. To the rest of you," he gave Lucian, Norivana, and Aitto sincere looks, "My deepest condolences about your companions."

"Thank you," Lucian repeated, and the other two said their thank-yous, bowing, and left the keep.

Lucian was quite ready for a bath and some fresh, non-bloody clothing, so they all made their way toward the inn, feeling tired, stressed, and worried.

This day had most definitely _not_ taken the turn any of them had expected, that was for sure.

* * *

**Goodness... sad chapters are hard to write. **

**So what's your opinion on the Lucian point-of-view? I'm planning on only keeping it like that for a few more chapters before I switch back, so either way it'll be back to normal eventually. **


	16. Only The Beginning

**I've been waiting too long to write this chapter.. You'll see why.**

* * *

Lucian stood at his window in the Golden Keg inn, squinting his eyes to adjust to the sun. It had been a little over a week since the incident in Goldshire, and he felt like it had passed in the blink of an eye. Norivana and Aitto had mostly kept to themselves after they realized that Lucian was not in the mood to talk about it, or to talk about anything for that matter.

He had mostly spent that time mulling over that day, along with helping his Druids get themselves settled in their new home. They all seemed to be doing well, aside from the fact that the world they were in now was not solely nocturnal and that they'd need to get used to that lifestyle.

A knock came at his door that brought him to attention, and he was greeted by Aitto, who shuffled into the room quietly.

"I... need to tell you something," Aitto said hesitantly, apparently trying to keep his loud voice low.

Lucian nodded at him, obliging him to continue, "By all means."

"Did Unaril inform you of how Sarion initially got involved with the fel magic?"

"I... never thought to ask," Lucian furrowed his brows, "Why?"

Aitto sighed, steeling himself. "Alright. You do remember that Sarion had been tasked with burning Norivana's and my old armor back in Raynewood?"

Lucian felt realization start to kick in, "Yes, it was so tainted with the Warlocks' demonic essence that it could no longer be used."

"That is correct," Aitto confirmed, "And when he took it to Felwood in the north to burn it, he later told Unaril that something happened to him there."

"That was when he became corrupted? All the way back when you two first arrived? How did we not realize this?_" _Lucian was shaking his head in confusion.

"He did a good job at hiding it for quite a while, yes. Anyway, due to Norivana's torturer's attacks and her own Blood Elf's infusion with the fel energy, a demon had actually imprinted itself into her armor, replacing any or all enchantments with its own aspect. And when Sarion began burning the armor, in the demon's attempt to survive, it, along with nearly all the fel magic that had accompanied it, transferred to Sarion. And him being in Felwood, he had no chance of purifying himself before it was too late. He attempted a cleansing spell, drawing from the natural essence in that place, but it was a mistake. The fel energy from his environment was pulled into his spell and actually solidified the magic's dominion."

Lucian bit his lip, his mind clicking everything together. "So he didn't even _choose_ the corruption?"

"Not by a long shot."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Lucian asked. What's done is done, he thought, so why waste energy on it?

Aitto clenched his jaw, "Unaril... was going to tell you. He never got the chance. I also felt a level of guilt knowing that it was because of our arrival that he became infected in the first place, so I thought I should let you know."

Lucian stood in silence, turning back to look out the window. Smoke was rising from the blacksmiths' area, making the entire district seem hazy and dulled.

A few more moments passed, neither of them speaking. Lucian finally turned back, "Thank you for telling me this."

Aitto nodded once, "It's the least I could do."

"Where is Norivana?" Lucian wondered aloud before Aitto could leave.

"Last I saw, she was near SI:7, with the combat training dummies. But that was nearly an hour ago, so I am not entirely sure."

Lucian nodded in thanks and made his way out of the room quickly, realizing he'd barely spoken to the woman in an entire week. He had nearly made it to the end of the hall when he heard her voice.

"Was all of that true?"

Lucian stopped and turned, his eyes falling on Norivana, who looked sweaty and tired from her practice, but she had a large backpack swung over her shoulders as if she were going somewhere.

"What?" Lucian questioned, feeling lost.

"Was that true, what Aitto said? Did all of this happen because I showed up?" She took a few steps forward so that they weren't talking from across the hall.

Lucian closed his eyes and sighed strenuously, shaking his head, "Norivana, no. You had no control over what happened."

"But it did happen because of me," she repeated roughly, and this time he noticed that her vivid green eyes looked glassy, as if trying to restrain tears.

"It..." he clenched his jaw, trying to choose his words. He realized she was on ice right now, probably feeling a heightened level of guilt like Aitto, so he did his best to calm her, "None of us knew what would happen, Norivana. No one is to blame for what happened to Sarion."

Norivana pressed her mouth into a line, biting her lips. "I think I'm going to leave."

"Wh-why?" Lucian suddenly became worried.

Norivana inhaled deeply, "All I have given to you is pain and death. It haunts me no matter where I go. I can't force you or your people to continue to deal with that."

She had started to walk past him toward the stairs, lowering her face and letting her red hair cover it, but he stopped her and grabbed her arm, "That's not true."

"Lucian," Norivana pleaded, but she still didn't look back at him. "I am the reason your best friend is dead."

"No," Lucian retorted firmly, placing himself back in between her and the stairs, "you had _no_ control over that, Norivana. It's not your fault!"

She finally looked back up at him, and her face was streaked with tears, "Lucian, open your eyes, for crying out loud! Sarion was corrupted because of _me. _Therefore Unaril was killed because of _me. _All of this, it happened because I showed up."

"Norivana, don't-" Lucian pleaded, but she interrupted him.

"I have brought nothing but misery to you and your tribe! Why won't you let me go?" She was crying, and he realized it could be just as hard for her to leave as it was for him to let her.

"I can't," he furrowed his brows, the sight of her crying confusing him and messing up his train of thought.

"Why? What is it that is keeping me here? I have nothing to offer, I'm the reason you're in the situation you're in."

"Norivana you're the reason I'm alive," Lucian corrected her, taking a step forward and placing his hands on the sides of her face and turning it up toward him, looking straight into her eyes, "For my sake, please don't leave." He wiped a tear away with his thumb, his finger brushing over the scar on her cheek.

She studied his expression for a minute, and he watched as her eyes portrayed how her mind was flashing through loads of different thoughts. "For your sake..?"

"I want...-" Lucian paused, sighing. "No. I _need_ you here, Norivana. You're the only one I'm holding onto right now. And if you're gone..."

Norivana looked so confused, blinking though her tears. "Why? You have your entire tribe here. What could I possibly mean to you, especially after what I've done?"

"Everything," his voice was quiet, and through a sudden urge, he finally took the leap, pulling her chin up toward him and planting his lips on hers.

She let out a surprised squeak once her mind registered, but the kiss was over almost before it started, and he pulled away, giving her one last look. "If you do leave, I just want you to know why I can't truly let you go."

With that, he turned and descended the stairs, leaving a very stunned and perplexed Norivana.

* * *

**_Norivana_**

* * *

Norivana stood at the top of the stairs, fingers held over her lips in a stunned silence. Her tears had dried and now she was trying to straighten out her bewildered thoughts. Out of all things she had expected Lucian to do, kissing her was not even on the list. She'd thought he would be angry after learning that she was the source of the fel corruption. She thought for sure he wouldn't want her here, especially due to the fact that he was still mourning his best friends.

But no, the truth had been quite the opposite.

She stood there motionless for longer than she meant to, staring down the wooden stairs at nothing, thinking about her options. Should she still leave? She had been planning on heading to a neutral city, perhaps Booty Bay or somewhere nearby. She had heard the neutral towns were rough but livable, and she had enough money to hold her own.

But then there was Lucian, and of course Aitto. Perhaps she could just go for a while.

"Are you feeling alright?" Aitto's voice surprised her and she jumped, realizing he was standing right next to her, giving her a concerned look.

"I... Yes," Norivana replied, looking at her feet.

"Why do you have all of your things packed? Are we going somewhere?"

"No," Norivana sighed, thinking for a moment before making the split decision, "But I am."

Aitto shifted his stance, "...Where?"

"I will be back soon. At most a week. But I need to get away." She had made the decision quickly, but she thought it would be best. She needed to get out of this inn and to think everything over. And she'd never been to Booty Bay, but it sounded fun, and she needed to escape for a little while. The King said it would be at least a month before he would need to speak with them next, so she wasn't worried about that.

"You didn't answer my question," Aitto pressed, frowning.

"I'm not going to tell you," she replied, "But I will be fine. And I'll be back before you know it, Aitto." She didn't want anyone to know, because she knew they'd follow her, and they had more important things to worry about. Aitto had been working a lot with Lucian and his tribe, but she had been a bit useless.

"Why are you leaving though?" Aitto looked so confused and worried, as if he felt it was his fault.

"I just need to," she replied with a smile, "I will return, Aitto." She gave him a big hug, "I love you, big guy. I'll be back soon." She started toward the stairs.

"Love you too," he mumbled, deepening his frown, "This is a little sudden, 'Vana."

"I know, Aitto. I'm sorry. But I'll be back and everything will be fine. Tell Lucian I will be back soon."

He nodded, so she turned and left him there, exiting the inn and making her way toward the Gryphon roost to go on her own tiny adventure.

* * *

**Very, very short chapter in comparison to the others.. Sorry. xD I just got to a good stopping point.**

**I was planning on making the Lucian POV last longer, but it sort of worked like this, so I kept it short.**

**We get to meet some interesting people in Booty Bay! :)**


	17. Retreat

**Hahha sorry for the sad chapters there, my friends. :P **

**Things'll get better, I promise. **

** Invader Tyleana: Oh, that is a good idea... I can say this much: We'll see a lot more of Sarion, and a lot more of Lucian x Norivana. :)**

**Anyways, ****Booty Bay time!**

**Enjoy. :)**

* * *

Norivana tried to remember how to reach the gryphon roost, but so far she was failing miserably. Normally, she had an impressive sense of direction, but right now it had abandoned her.

She had at least arrived in the Trade District, she knew that much, but other than that, she was completely lost. It was getting late, at least five or six in the evening, and she wanted to get to Booty Bay before dark, so she was feeling rushed. When she had her trusty Night Elf attached at the hip, she hadn't had to worry about this sort of thing, but now she was feeling both claustrophobic and completely alone at the same time.

She must have been pretty obvious, because a voice behind her nearly caused her to jump out of her own skin.

"Lost, are we?"

Norivana whipped around to face a relatively young-looking Stormwind Guard who had approached her. He inspected her tabard with a quick once-over and relaxed his stance, pulling his helm off his head respectfully and revealing a full head of almost white-blonde hair that tapered at his blue-and-silver plated shoulders.

"You're that one elf," he cocked his head, and she regarded him confusedly.

"What?"

"The one the King recruited," he turned his head over his shoulder, shouting to another guard, "Hey Leroy, get a load of this! It's that Blood Elf we were talkin' about earlier."

The other guard, apparently Leroy, jogged over, his heavy armor clunking as he took each step. He inspected her too, "I thought she'd be taller."

Norivana scoffed lightheartedly. These men were probably either exactly her height or barely an inch ahead. They had no room to talk.

Leroy spoke up again, eyeing her excitedly. "Is it true you and your Tauren attacked the Warchief?"

A little taken off-guard, Norivana blankly opened her mouth to speak, but the blonde interrupted, sounding eager, "I heard she killed thirty Orcs bare-handed in Goldshire!"

"I heard it was fifty," Leroy corrected, then after a thought gave her a curious look laced with unease, "Is it true you ate their hearts after the battle? I heard you ate their hearts."

Both the men stopped and waited for her reply, regarding her in awe. She was both confused and utterly disgusted.

"What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously, trying not to gag, "Eat hearts? Of course I don't eat peoples' hearts!"

Leroy looked dejected, as if her answer wasn't as cool as he was hoping, "Well, that's what the men have been saying..."

"People know of us? We've only been here a week."

The blonde guard spoke up, smirking, "News travels fast, Elf."

"Oh.." she scrunched her face, pursing her lips. "Anyway," she glanced at them both, "You gentlemen wouldn't happen to know where the gryphon roost is, would you?"

Leroy raised his brows. "You're right next to it," he stated, pointing his finger toward a ramp only ten yards away.

"Oh!" she repeated, clapping a hand to her forehead embarrassedly, "Thank you!"

Both guards bowed and smiled, wishing her luck, and she took off at a brisk pace toward the ramp, feeling renewed excitement and a level of freedom she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

* * *

Norivana had never ridden a gryphon before. And honestly, she didn't really care for it once she'd tried it. By the time the massive hybrid lion-bird had arrived at the seaside town, she felt queasy and sore. She never flew, not if she could help it. Maybe two or three times in her life total, and that was a long time ago. This hadn't even been a long ride, probably only around twenty minutes as the bird was quite swift, but she was feeling the effects of the ride in the muscles of her legs. It was quite unpleasant to say the least, and for a moment she just stood there, picking feathers out of her boots.

The salty smell of the ocean completely made up for her unsatisfactory travels though, and before she did anything else, she paused to take a breath, inhaling the warm sea air and closing her eyes. A small breeze played at her hair and counteracted the heat of the day, and she looked out over the water toward the low sun, noting how the ocean seemed to dance with the orange light. Seagulls called from above and off in the distance to the north, she could hear the jungle teeming with life, echoing exotic bird calls through the tree canopy.

The cove that held the town was extremely secluded, surrounded on three sides with tall cliffs and the other with water, and it made her feel at ease, as if she was in a safe little bubble far away from the rest of the world. Below her, in the lower levels of the area, she could see all sorts of people bustling about, bidding at the auctions and selling their seafood catch of the day. Many of the buildings here were actually entire ships that had been retired and remodeled to fit the needs of daily living, and she found that to be extremely awesome.

It was disconcerting being back around people of her own race and faction again and not being attacked by them or being expected to return the favor. She hadn't initially anticipated feeling so alienated by people she'd been around for nearly twelve years, but after everything that had happened between her and the Warchief's armies, it was only natural to distance herself from them.

So it was indeed strange when she walked down those creaky wooden plank steps into the tavern there and saw both Horde and Alliance mingling together in one room. The Alliance fellows weren't paying much attention to those of the Horde, but at least they weren't at each other's throats, and that was an interesting sight in itself. A large collection of eccentrically-dressed men and women were seated at the bar, all laughing and cheering together regardless of the fact that they were of conflicting factions.

A squeaky male voice called out loudly in Orcish, causing her to wheel around to face its owner. "Looking for a drink, kid?"

Norivana was greeted by the barkeep, a rough-looking Goblin with a big grin plastered on his face.

"Not just yet," she laughed back, "It's still a little too early for that."

Another voice piped in to her left, this one a bit lower-pitched, "No such thing!"

She turned and saw another Goblin with jet-black hair approaching. "Welcome to the Salty Sailor Tavern, sweet cheeks. Whaddya need?"

She laughed again quietly. Goblins and their nicknames were very amusing. "I was just looking for a place to crash later; do you have any rooms available here?"

The Goblin went into his trademark 'merchant' mode. "Rooms? I got rooms. I got the best rooms in the whole town, and even better deals. Single or double?"

"Just a simple, small one would be perfect."

"I got one available upstairs I think'll fit you nicely. Two gold per night,-" he paused when she grimaced at the price and he shrugged, "Expensive, I know. Times are tough, kid. Check-out's at noon, and Tuesdays are open-bar from 7 'til 9. Behave yourself and ya got nothing to worry about. That means no stabbin' or killin' or disrupting the peace," He eyed her for a moment, raising a brow, "You look like someone I oughtta watch my valuables around. You a rogue?"

"Good eye," Norivana commented nonchalantly as she pulled out her coin purse to retrieve the two sovreigns.

The Goblin continued, "Got a rogue friend upstairs who sells his teachings, if you're ever lookin' to hone your skills. He's one of the best I've seen."

Norivana felt a little excited. If a trainer was in the inn, that meant she could finally get some good practice in. The innkeeper must have recognized the look on her face because he chuckled.

"His name's Ian Strom, and he's stayin' up the stairs to the left, furthest room on the end," he accepted the coins she handed him, giving her a room key in return, and then nodded toward her purse, "Gotta watch your valuables around him though."

"Thanks for the advice," Norivana laughed, securing the coin satchel a little tighter on her belt and fastening the key to her keyring.

The innkeeper nodded, waving her off, "Enjoy your stay."

With nothing better to do, Norivana chose to go immediately to this 'Ian Strom'. She ascended the rickety wooden stairs, pushing her way past an oblivious couple who appeared extremely diligent in making sure that everyone in the entire tavern was aware of their infatuation with each other. She made a face as she passed them, but continued up the second set of stairs and down to the final room, just like the innkeeper had told her. The room was dark, the only available light dimly making its way through the translucent glass of a window on the far end. She knocked on the door frame once, even though it was clear he wasn't in there.

"Mr. Strom?" she called out quietly, suddenly feeling a little uneasy. She sensed someone behind her for a moment and whipped around, but no one was there. He was a rogue, though, so for all she knew, he could be standing ten feet from her and she wouldn't see him.

"I was just..." she began to speak and stopped herself. What if he actually wasn't there and she was talking to thin air? It wouldn't do if someone saw that. Then again, there was no one here, so nothing to lose, right? "I was just coming to see if I could hire you to instruct me and perhaps practice some techniques..."

Not a sound.

Oh, well. So much for trying.

She stood there a moment, feeling a little let down, and sighed. She had really wanted to practice; it'd be the perfect way for her to get her mind off things and improve her skills at the same time. Turning back down the hall, she glanced once more at his room and then went to find her own. There were only a few rooms total there, so it wasn't like she had to spend a long time searching.

The key was finicky at first but it finally gave, allowing the door to swing wide and her to enter. The room was simple and had a single small bed in the corner, and on the other end was a table with chairs. The table had clearly been the target practice of many, as it had deep, angry notches littered across the surface from where people had staked the sharp of their blades into the wood. A few names were crudely carved into the wood as well, but she couldn't read them as they appeared to be very old and worn.

Again she was interrupted by a nagging feeling of another presence, so she paused suddenly, jerking her eyes to stare up at where she thought she'd see someone, and again no one was there. Frustrated, she shrugged it off as nerves and continued to inspect the room. If anyone _was_ in there, even as a rogue they'd be detectable in that small of a space.

If she wasn't going to practice tonight, she decided she'd probably just stay at the bar and go to bed early. Maybe he would be back tomorrow.

She removed her backpack and tossed it onto the table, and it hit with a muffled 'clunk'. Her daggers were next, pulled from their sheaths and placed onto the table neatly, then followed her simple armor. She reached around her neck to unclasp the necklace and then paused, resting her hand on it. Wearing it without Lucian around made it feel empty, and in turn, even _she_ felt a little empty. It was as if it were sitting there, nagging her that she was somehow incomplete. But if she were to remove it, somehow that would seem even worse, though she couldn't place why, so she kept it on.

She changed into some of the clothes Lucian had gifted her with, donning a silver shirt and black trousers that cinched comfortably. She tied a red sash around her waist as a belt and pulled her boots up tight, lacing the straps and giving them a satisfied pat when she finished tying them.

When she turned back to retrieve her purse and her weapons, she froze. They were gone. She frantically looked around, inspecting underneath the table in case they'd fallen off, but they were missing.

Someone had most definitely taken them, but how? She'd had her door shut the entire time and had only turned for a split second. Whoever did this knew what they were doing and had been in there the entire time.

Trying to come off as coolheaded as possible, she crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side, "Alright, very funny. You took my things. Now give them back."

She almost hadn't expected anything to happen, so when she heard a chuckle reverberate in the room, her hair stood on end.

"That," a man's voice spoke, echoing from one end of the room to the other, "was not the reaction I anticipated."

A human man materialized in front of her and it was all she could do to keep from collapsing from sudden fright. She knew he was there and he'd still surprised her.

"And that," she grumbled back, annoyed, "was a display of poor manners."

He had a sly grin on his face and his cunning eyes twinkled as he spoke, "I was merely having a little fun. You seek my instruction, yes?" He revealed his hands, which held both her little coin purse and her daggers.

She quickly confiscated them, eyeing him warily, "Ian Strom?"

"The one and only," he stood a little straighter and then bowed dramatically. He spoke with an interesting accent, in which he rolled the 'r's off his tongue and emphasized alternate syllables rather than the normal ones. He was lean and small, a few inches shorter than her, and he had an air about him that made her tense, but at the same time his inviting expression seemed to lull her into a sense of security. His hair was light and his eyes the same, but his skin was touched by the tropical sun and had been darkened over time. The way he poised, it was like he was constantly on-guard, ready to pounce.

Definitely a rogue.

He eyed her for a moment. "How long have you been practicing subtlety? You nearly found me out three times. A less-experienced rogue wouldn't be able to do that."

"More or less my entire life," she replied, and when he cocked his head, she clarified, "About twenty years or so. Been wielding daggers ever since I could walk."

"Impressive," he looked surprised and he shook his head, "If you don't mind me saying this, you are quite young, Blood Elf."

"Norivana," she corrected.

He bowed his head slightly, "Norivana, then." He crossed one arm over his torso and rested the other elbow on his hand, tapping his mouth with his index finger thoughtfully. "What would you like to learn?"

"I... I just need to sharpen what I already know. I need a sparring partner, mostly. And hopefully you can give me tips on how to improve."

"Ah!" He clapped excitedly, "This will be most fun indeed."

"And hopefully educational, too," Norivana joked, "For the price I'll probably be paying."

He gave her a shrewd look, waving his hand dismissively, "Tsch tsch. No price. You are in luck; I have been so incredibly and ridiculously restless and bored recently that I will not charge you, definitely not for our first session. Think of it as 'humor me, and it's free', yes?"

"Thank you," she exclaimed, surprised at his offer, and he nodded once with a small smile. She glanced around, looking hesitant. "So... do we practice in here?"

"Goodness no, woman!" he exclaimed, assessing the tiny room with a snort. "Follow me."

He sauntered out of the room and led her back to his own, which was nearly twice the size of hers, and lit a few gas lamps that worked nicely to illuminate the entire area. The sun had set by now, leaving only a hazy dusky sky, and his window barely let any light in at all.

Ian's place looked like it _had_ held two beds once, but they'd been removed to accomodate his training area, and instead was a small cot in the corner. All other furniture had been removed, save a woven mat on the floor that took up practically the entire floor space.

"This is much better," she stated, placing her hands on her hips and inspecting the room.

Ian stepped out onto the mat, holding his hands out in a fighting stance.

"Why aren't you armed?" Norivana questioned hesitantly as she walked out to face him.

"A good rogue can turn his foes' weapons against them."

She cocked her head, smirking at him. "That does not mean we cannot use our own, you know."

"It also does not mean we have to," he replied, mirroring her expression.

She raised her brows in a sort of resignation, "Touche."

He held up his hands, bouncing lightly back and forth on the balls of his feet, and Norivana mirrored him, holding Krazak'Zul's daggers in her hands. She really needed to find some better ones, but they'd been decent in the meantime.

He began to speak quickly, "Now, both you and I know that if you were facing anyone other than a rogue, this would be different, yes? But defending yourself against quick attacks is much, much different than say, a Warrior."

"I know you practice subtlety," he continued, "So most of your attacks will take down your foes before they have the chance to truly fight back. But I think we should practice what could happen if plans go awry, and perhaps you find yourself fighting face-to-face without your weapons. We rogues can disarm better than any other, of course you know that," he tapped his nose slyly.

Norivana stood for a moment, "Okay," she began, "So what do I do first?"

"Try to hit me, of course," he replied like it was so simple.

"With my knives?"

"No, with your face," he rolled his eyes, "Of course with your knives."

"Fine," Norivana replied, and she tensed, going into her fighting stance. She circled him a few paces and he watched her acutely, the corners of his mouth playing at a smirk. Finally, she pulled a fake to the left, at the same time swinging her right hand out and sending the knife toward him. Before she could realize what was happening, he had dodged backward easily and then twisted himself so that he was now standing shoulder-to-shoulder beside her, restraining both of her wrists in one long-fingered hand and her weapons in the other.

She stuttered for a moment. "Wha.. How did you... What?"

He cocked his head, letting his hair flip to the side, "You are good, _bellissima_, but you have much to learn." He released her and stepped in front of her again, holding out her knives hilt-first to her. She took them and eyed him cautiously.

"Teach me how to do that."

He quirked a brow, "Ahh, that I shall," his eyes flashed excitedly, "And I can teach you much, much more."

She grinned. This was going to be fun.

* * *

Over four days, Norivana had been practicing almost non-stop with her newfound trainer. He seemed to be having just as much fun as she was, and it wasn't until she had finally gotten back into the groove that she realized how much she'd missed doing what she did best. He taught her countless moves she had never seen before, how to dodge and vanish, to disarm the opponent regardless of their weapons. He also taught her how to interrupt spellcasters much more effectively, although she hadn't had any volunteers to let her actually try it. Maybe she'd talk Lucian into being her guinea pig once she returned.

Once she returned.

She hadn't even thought about it since she'd arrived. She felt almost guilty; she'd left Lucian when he was desperate, but then again, she had no means of fixing what she had already done. She'd more-or-less ruined his life; all the bad things that happened to him so far were a fallout of something she had done. His best friends and apparently adopted brothers were dead, for there was no way Sarion could have survived in Orgrimmar. And it was all her fault.

What drove her even more mad was how he pretended it wasn't her fault. Burying an issue or transferring the blame does not make it any less real or true, it just makes one feel even worse in the long run. And then the fact that he'd opened up to her like that right before she left, telling her he _needed_ her to stay and then _kissing_ her, well, it was enough to drive any girl insane.

Stupid men and their stupid, irresistible, confusing, ridiculous selves.

Norivana shoved her thoughts back and brought herself to the present. She and Ian had developed a game of sorts. At random, she had been assigned to stealth and sneak up on him, and he had made the deal with her that if she managed to do it once without him detecting her, he would pay her.

He didn't tell her _what_ he'd pay her, even when she asked, but he said it was valuable and worth it. So she agreed, thinking that even if this so called payment wasn't so great, it'd be great practice anyway.

She slunk around the tavern, searching for her target with as much stealth and silence as was physically possible. She focused strongly on keeping her movements smooth and even, knowing that if she moves as a shadow, it is much easier to become one.

He was sitting at the bar reading some sort of book when she finally found him. It was somewhat busy here tonight, lots of fishermen and shady characters filling the area, which she was thankful for. Much easier to sneak with background noise. She'd almost reached him when a blue-skinned Troll walked up to him, slapping his arm around Ian's shoulders and raising a drink.

Ian gave the guy a friendly smile as the Troll started to talk to him. "I hear being a neutral party is the best place to be right now." He had no accent, which threw her off a little at first.

Ian raised a brow halfheartedly, still looking at his book, "Why is that?"

"Alliance and Horde leaders are at each other's throats now more than ever. Hellscream's preparing for an all-out war. Best stay as far away from that as possible, I say." The Troll took a swig of his drink.

"Oh, come now, that must be rumor. Neither of them would be so rash," Ian scoffed, and the Troll turned so he was leaning his back and elbows against the bar.

"I can't be sure, but I think Hellscream says it's become personal."

"Personal?" Ian cocked his head, finally closing his book and giving the Troll full attention.

"You hear about those two who switched sides? Hellscream's soldiers, a Tauren and an Elf, I think. They were supposed to be dead. Hellscream somehow found out that they're alive and now under Varian's protection, and he's furious."

"I have never heard of them," Ian replied, looking very interested now.

"I personally think Hellscream was just waiting for an excuse to just send all his armies in, and now that Varian's protecting Horde criminals, he has one. He's completely off his rocker now."

"Do they not realize the consequences of these actions?" Ian shook his head, grimacing, "A full war between factions could legitimately upset the entire balance of commerce, trade, travel, and more-or-less daily life as it is."

The troll shook his head, clicking his tongue, "Whatever the consequences are, I don't think Hellscream cares."

"These two soldiers," Ian pressed, still on that subject, "What do you know of them?"

"Not so much," the Troll shrugged, taking another drink, "Other than they're practically viewed as saints to Hellscream's critics. A lot of Horde are getting sick of their warchief."

Ian shook his head, chewing absentmindedly on the inside of his cheek. "Mad times we live in, my friend."

The troll raised his brows and nodded in agreement, "Right you are." He then stood from the counter, "I'm going to go see what trouble I can cook up. Care to join me?"

Ian laughed. "Actually I'm a bit busy. Seek me out tomorrow, yes?"

The Troll clapped his hand on Ian's shoulder and nodded, his tusks glinting in firelight, and turned to leave.

Ian's voice carried out, "Eavesdropping is rude, _bellissima_."

_Damn it._ Norivana unstealthed and approached him. "How do you know every single time?"

He smiled lightly, still inspecting his book, "It is a gift."

"And a curse for the rest of us," Norivana grumbled to herself. He chuckled lightly and continued reading, so she sat down in the stool beside him. He turned toward her unexpectedly, eyes drawn very serious.

"What are you doing here exactly?"

She paused, giving him a confused look. "I'm training."

"Yes, Norivana, I know this," he rolled his eyes a little with a laugh, "Why are you here?"

"I..." she looked around. What was he talking about?

"This is no place for a woman of your skill level. You are running from something. What is it?"

Oh, that. "It's a long story..."

He held his palms out in a shrug, leaning against the bar, "I've nothing but time in these hands."

Normally, Norivana would never do this. Never ever would she share her story to someone she barely knew. But this guy, for some reason he seemed like even though he was a cheating, lying thief, he wasn't the kind to extort her for his own gain.

So she told him her story. She left nothing out, and he listened intently, keeping his mouth shut and following her story with attentive ears.

"...So yeah. That's why I'm here. I am not good at... feelings. And Lucian, well, his are a bit overwhelming right now." She finished, and for a long while, Ian just sat there, chin resting in one hand and fingers drumming softly against the counter.

"You must think I'm sort of stupid," Norivana mumbled, chewing her lip. His eyes shot up.

"No no," he began quickly, shaking his head. "Intense, perhaps a bit insane, but not stupid."

She smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"So you're the catalyst to this whole war then, yes? Hellscream has you number one on his list?"

Norivana grimaced. "I suppose so."

"Then we need you on your guard now more than ever," he replied and stood, "Hellscream could be sending assassins at any turn. They could find you here."

Norivana stood as well, "Ian, can I ask you something?"

"Ask away," he encouraged.

"Why are you doing this for me? I mean you claim it's boredom, but especially now, now that you know that I'm a wanted criminal, why do you associate with me?"

He thought a moment, "I choose my battles, and I believe this one is worth fighting for."

"Well, thank you," Norivana said quietly, taken aback by his loyalty.

He nodded with a smile, and they ascended the stairs and continued their training late into the night.

* * *

The next morning, Norivana stretched her sore arms and legs and for the first time since she'd arrived, she put her leather armor back on. What Ian had said about assassins sort of shook her, and wearing the armor would at least give her a small sense of security. She topped it off with the Alliance tabard and tightened the clasp of her necklace, thinking about Lucian and Aitto again.

She'd need to go back fairly soon. Aitto had been told a week, and she had only one day before that deadline. The week had fulfilled its purpose though, and she was feeling about ready to return. It had been a good means of escape.

She exited the tavern and began a slow leisurely pace, walking about the multi-level town and stopping to look at whatever caught her eye. She watched the fishermen for a while, who gladly invited her to join them and sit on the edge of the dock for a while. She listened to them chat amongst themselves about bait methods, and after a while she zoned out, staring into the water that sported bright, colorful fish of all sizes. She saw divers down underneath retrieving various shells and treasures that had taken refuge within the sandy seaweeded floor.

The morning sun was refreshing and it soaked into her skin. She took a deep breath, relaxing and letting tension ebb away with the flow of the tide at the dock. She wasn't sure how long she stayed there, but when a Thalassian voice brought her out of her relaxed state and made her open her eyes, the fishermen were all gone.

"Um, excuse me," a woman whined, and Norivana turned.

A Blood Elf woman was standing about ten feet away, and Norivana had to blink out the sun to be able to see her. She was wearing trademark mage's robes, an automatic heads-up that she'd be stuck-up and pompous. Mages in the Blood Elf society are treated like royalty, and anyone who isn't on their level is at least a hundred levels below them. And as a rogue, well, Norivana knew she herself was at the bottom.

"Have we met?" Norivana asked warily, standing up.

The elf shook her head with a scoff, "No."

Norivana paused. "...Okay," she began slowly, "May I ask your name then?"

The girl shook her head, "No you may not."She turned her nose up at Norivana, giving her a condescending look and letting her eyes inspect Norivana's appearance.

Ugh. Stupid Blood Elves.

"Alright," Norivana sighed, attempting to walk past the girl, "I'm done here. Have a good da-"

"Hold up," the girl demanded sharply and tried to grab Norivana's arm, and Norivana automatically shied away, effectively blocking the girl's reach. Norivana then stepped around behind her, locking her into a headlock with a blade held at her throat.

"What do you want, Mage?" Norivana whispered calmly, despite the fact that she was grinding the sharp of her blade dangerously against the woman's exposed neck.

"N-Nothing!" the elf stuttered, and Norivana could sense her shivering in her grip, "I don't need anything."

"Be on your way, then," Norivana hissed, shoving the girl forward and finally releasing the blade. "I've got enough on my plate, and I don't need to deal with egotistical assholes like yourself."

The girl whipped around to face her and stepped back quickly, holding a hand to her throat, her eyes wide as saucers. She turned and ran back toward the other side of town, and Norivana was almost positive she heard the woman bawling. Ugh.

With nothing else to do, Norivana decided to seek out Ian. She still had yet to sneak up on him effectively, and she was determined to do it today. Today, she felt a renewed energy. Today would be different, she was sure of it.

* * *

After a time of searching, she found him in the tavern yet again, reading his book at the table as always. Instead of making a beeline as she was used to doing, this time she actually used a bit more logic. It took a dreadfully long time, but each time someone moved or walked closer to his table, she would follow right behind them, using them as her own personal shield against his detection. Any previous times that he'd found her out, it had been when she was moving around. So if she only moved when she was out of line of sight and if she matched her steps with the people she used, this may actually work.

This plan took _way_ too long. It wouldn't be a surprise if it'd been an entire hour since she'd entered the tavern and begun stalking her prey. She was so close to succeeding, she could almost taste the excitement. Her hands were almost shivering and her heart was beating a mile a minute as she took the final leap at him, and to her surprise, it all worked.

She leapt forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders and immobilizing his arms. He was taken so strongly by surprise that he yelped loudly, grappling with her for a moment before finally realizing what was going on and letting himself fall back off of his seat in laughter, causing them both to slam into the ground. A few glances their way but nothing more; this was Booty Bay, and loud, sudden noises were not so surprising.

"Ahaha!" he practically cried, not even trying to remove himself from the floor for a moment, "You devil of a woman! I thought I was done for."

She sat up and propped her hands behind her on the floor, "So," she began with a grin, "What's this payment you mentioned?"

His eyes lit up. "Ah!" he clapped, "Follow me!"

He leapt up off the ground in one lithe movement and had begun ascending the stairs before she even managed to pull herself up. Even with her flexibility as a rogue, he was still loads better than her. She followed after him, and when she reached the top of the stairs she nearly ran into him. He'd already retrieved something from his room and was practically dancing toward the steps.

"What is that?" she asked him, inspecting a long, thin, silver and purple satchel that was cinched at the top.

He chuckled and slapped her hand away as she reached out for it, "Tsch. Restraint, elf, restraint," he scolded.

She folded her hands behind her and he slowly, deliberately torturously slowly, undid the cinch and reached into the pack. Her eyes widened as he pulled out not one, but _two_ beautiful, perfect daggers.

And when she says perfect, she means literally _perfect_. They were completely silver, shining beautifully, the blades curving and bowing, perfectly balanced and sharpened to razors.

She finally found her voice, slowly reaching a hand out to take one of the shiny hilts into her hand, "Oh my goodness."

"They are impressive, no?" he grinned, "I was saving them for the first worthy student I came across."

"These are... I don't have words," she squeaked, twirling one in her hand. They were no doubt the best knives she'd ever laid eyes on, and now, they were hers.

Best. Payment. _Ever_.

Ian laughed. "Treat them well."

She nodded dumbly in response, gripping the new daggers which fit perfectly in her hands. If there were any assassins out to get her, they wouldn't know what hit them.

* * *

That evening Norivana was making her way up the stairs from the bar, mulling over a specific technique that Ian had taught her. This particular one was... difficult. It required her to switch her grip on her blades and reverse them so that the sharp end was pointed outward, and the tip was pointed toward her elbow - all within a quarter second - and then use both of them in a cross-arm move that could be used as both a block and an attack. The purpose of this attack was to surprise the opponent with an alternative offensive style; rather than the usual 'jab and poke', this one was much more 'slice and swish', and it could cause a whole lot more destruction if done properly.

When she had stepped up her final stair, she hadn't been paying a whole lot of attention to her surroundings (an action that would've received scolding from Mr. Strom), so when a hand clapped itself on her shoulder she immediately jerked to attention, whirling around and unsheathing her new daggers.

It was for good reason, because opposing her was a very large angry-looking Blood Elf. No, scratch that. He wasn't angry, so much as he was... scornful. His chin was raised and he looked down his nose at her, arms crossed at his chest and chest puffed out. His hair was almost too groomed for comfort, spiking dramatically in platinum blonde streaks. He stood with one hip jutting out and head cocked to the side, regarding her with a certain level of disgust, as if he were being forced to inspect something that could riddle him with diseases.

He eyed her drawn blades for a moment, then scoffed, "You really think you can scare me with those?" He held a hand up and it ignited in flame for a half-second before he doused it and returned it to its place at the crook of his crossed elbow.

Norivana sighed. Another Mage. Couldn't she have just a _little_ break?

She didn't relax her stance at all until she glanced behind the guy that she realized what was going on. That new-found Mage buddy she'd 'befriended' on the docks had brought her big bad boyfriend to intimidate Norivana.

Immediately, and to the two Mages' shock, Norivana sheathed her blades and just started laughing. She couldn't help it. The sheer ridiculousness of the whole situation in itself was hysterical, the fact that a supposed 'all-powerful Mage woman' had been so disturbed by her encounter with Norivana that the girl had required someone else to redeem what little pride she had left.

Maybe it was the two ale refills Norivana'd had before this, or maybe it really was that funny, she couldn't be sure. But one thing was definite: when someone is angry and threatening you with magic fireballs, laughing at them is the last thing they expect. But the bad thing about it is, laughing at them also makes them angrier. And thus more fire tends to happen.

The man, now glaring at her with both shock and irritation, dropped his hands and clenched them at his sides. They erupted in flame, which gave off an intense heat and licked at his robe sleeves.

This time it was Norivana's turn to talk. She approached the situation smoothly, speaking in a sickeningly sweet tone, "Come now," she cooed, leaning against the wall by the stairs, "Wouldn't want to set this tavern up in flames, would we? What did it ever do to you, hmm?"

The man blinked, and Norivana continued, "Besides. I mean.. if you think about it," she paused a second, mockingly nodding her head at the lady Mage, "She started it."

Norivana could practically see the woman shaking with rage and in turn felt a streak of smugness. Anyone who could make a Mage lose even a smidge of dignity should feel quite accomplished. Knocking them down a peg or two certainly can't harm anything.

The man jumped in, eyes flashing angrily, "Watch your tongue, Rogue," he spat the word as if it were a bad taste in his mouth, "Don't think I won't hesitate to end you."

"End me?" Norivana prodded, setting her jaw, "You honestly think you could do that?" She stood taller, getting in the man's face and almost whispering, "I have seen and done things you'll never _dream_ of. I have been more places, met more people, _killed_ more people, than you can imagine. Don't you think for one second you could 'end me', all because of some fire trick you pull with inexperienced, untarnished hands. Be smart, Mage," she cocked her head and ran her fingers along her sheathed daggers, now speaking in lighter tones and waiving him off, "Run along. I've got more important things to worry about." She turned, completely done with this conversation, and began to walk toward her room. It was past her bedtime, and she didn't want to deal with these idiots.

The man faltered for a second at her words, glancing at the gleaming silver death-dealers sheathed at her hip, but seeing as he was so blindly determined to retain his sense of pride, he fought back. In one swift action, he had both summoned and sent a fireball straight toward her. She dodged it in time, letting it whoosh past her and hit the staircase with an explosive crackle, and she sent the man a scathing look.

"You don't want to do that," she warned with a glare, slowly unsheathing her daggers and taking a step toward him.

"No one disrespects _me,_" he spat back, "You need to learn your place, Rogue."

"My place?" she scoffed back with an almost laugh, "And where exactly is that?"

He gathered more fire in his palms, "With the rest of your kind: slinking, slithering in the dirty slums where you belong."

Norivana tensed. She _really_ didn't want to get in a legitimate fight, but this man was threatening her with fire, and getting all her hair singed off wasn't on her to-do list. She wasn't afraid of his skills; any Mage who can do anything can pull a little fire out of his ass. What was irking her was his implications that she was somehow much less important than he, just because of his magic affinity.

"That's a cute trick," she mockingly raised a brow, glancing at his flaming hands.

His eyes flashed angrily. If that'd been an attempt to cool the guy down, she was doing a poor job of it. He lurched his hands forward, sending powerful blasts of flame and arcane energy toward her continuously, and she began dodging them as they whooshed past her and hit the floors and the walls. She danced around the spells, taking her time, choosing not to actually attack the man. Doing so would probably make things so much worse; it'd be better to let him tire - and in doing so, belittle his skills.

All was going just fine, with both Mages becoming quite frustrated at the fact that he couldn't hit Norivana with any of his spells, until Norivana felt something she hadn't expected and was thrown completely off-guard.

Her necklace had begun buzzing faintly and then became a whole lot stronger, causing her to falter and glance around. If her necklace came to life, that meant Lucian was there.

Her pause gave the Mage just enough time to slam a blast of arcane power straight into her, knocking her to the ground and causing the back of her head to smack bluntly against the floor. Her vision blurred for a moment, the sheer intensity of the collision between her head and the floor making her dizzy.

A voice, one she'd memorized as Lucian's, boomed out angrily, "What is the meaning of this?"

Norivana hadn't realized how much she missed the sound of his voice until now. Well, except the anger. He could do without the anger; it was a bit out of character for him...

She sat up, rubbing the back of her head, her vision coming back into focus. The necklace had more-or-less blocked the damage of the arcane magic, so the only issue she had was from hitting the floor.

"Lucian?" she mumbled, eyes focusing on her snowy-haired elf.

He only glanced her way before returning his attention to the two Mages, who looked a bit stunned. Out of all things they could've expected, being suddenly reprimanded by a gigantic, angry Night Elf was not on their list.

The Mage did his best at getting rid of the frost that'd formed on his robe from a spell that Lucian had apparently used on him, and then he tried to stretch and stand a little taller, but Norivana thought that just made him look ridiculous, like a child straining to reach a jar of cookies. He cleared his throat, trying to speak in a threatening tone, but his voice wavered at the end, "I have no business with you, Night Elf. Begone."

A tiger-like growl forced itself from Lucian's throat. "You touch her, it is _always_ my business."

"I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole," the elf made a face of disgust, "I was merely dealing with a pest problem. You're a mage, you should understand. She needs to be eliminated."

That was a very, very bad choice of words on the Mage's part. Lucian's jaw clenched tightly and he bristled, his shoulders tensing. "There is one thing you should know about me, Mage," Lucian spoke in a low, even, menacing tone, stepping forward and causing the other elf to shrink down, "I take great care of what is mine. If you threaten her, you threaten me." He glared down at the Mage, flexing his hands at his sides, which then erupted in an icy, leafy mix of whirling energy, "And you don't want to cross me."

Whoa. Norivana raised her brows, watching the glowing, frosty swirls of nature in Lucian's hands. Mixing class talents... That's a new one for him.

The Blood Elf opened his mouth to speak, but when nothing came out, he closed it and glanced between Norivana and Lucian. Lucian eyed the man for just one moment before turning toward Norivana to go help her up.

As if Lucian's threats hadn't done a thing, the Blood Elf began to taunt him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he sniffed, "She's probably riddled with diseases."

That did it. Lucian paused mid-step, eyes flashing angrily, and before Norivana knew what was happening, Lucian had swung back around and slammed a fist straight into the Mage's nose.

The other woman shrieked loudly and knelt down next to the Mage, who had stumbled back and fallen and was now howling in pain.

Lucian hastily made his way to Norivana's side, unflexing and shaking his hand out, and knelt down, placing one hand at her back and the other out for her to take. She didn't exactly need help standing up, but she was both so pleased he was here and surprised with what just happened that she didn't argue. He gave her an apologetic look.

"We should probably... leave," he murmured, glancing to the sides and then back at the furious elf who was now sporting a serious bloody nose, "As in, now."

"O-Okay," Norivana stuttered, and she ran to her room and within seconds shoved everything she had into her backpack, then returned to him in the hall, room key in hand. "Where are we going?"

"The King has an important job for you," he said quickly, placing a hand on her back almost protectively and glancing back at the Mages. He led her toward the stairs, "I'd rather he just tell you about it himself."

A personal assignment from the king himself? Now this was definitely something she needed to check out.

Norivana reached the bottom floor, with Lucian still sticking to her side like glue, and she tossed her innkeeper the room key and a coin as a tip. Lucian led her out the side door of the tavern, and Norivana slowed.

"Lucian," she pulled him to a stop, "The gryphon roost is upstairs."

He looked up toward the roof of the inn for a second, then shook his head, taking her hand and pulling her to follow him again, "No, we don't need gryphons."

Someone behind them shouted Norivana's name, and she turned around to see Ian standing there at the door, looking confused.

"Wait," she told Lucian, "Just one minute."

He stopped and gave her a quizzical look, but allowed her to run back over to Ian.

"Leaving so soon?" Ian asked her with what could only be described as a pout.

"I'm sorry, duty calls," she confessed, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for everything, Ian."

He gave her a smile. "Come back soon, yes?"

"Definitely," she grinned back, then started to run toward Lucian, waving over her shoulder, "Goodbye!"

He waved and went back into the inn, and Lucian quirked a brow when she reached his side. "Friend of yours?"

She nodded with a smile as they walked toward the docks. "A good friend." She paused a second, "Lucian, how did you know where I was?"

He sighed and looked extremely sheepish. "I... sort of... followed you in Stormwind. And then when you left, I asked the flight master where you flew to."

Norivana laughed aloud. She should probably feel annoyed or mad about some sort of invasion of privacy, but instead she just found it funny.

He laughed nervously. "You're... not upset?"

"I'm absolutely livid, can't you tell?" she joked and chuckled, giving him a nudge on the arm, "It's fine, Lucian."

He let out a relieved breath and led Norivana up a ramp next to the docks, one that led out toward the open forest.

"Seriously, Lucian," Norivana wondered aloud, "What are we doing here?"

"I wanted to get out of the town," he answered, and then, after a few glances around to make sure there was enough space, he transformed into a massive white bird.

Norivana squeaked and jumped back, completely surprised by Lucian's transformation. He was easily the same size as a medium-sized gryphon, with a sharp beak and two very large feathered wings. He approached her, giving her the bird equivalent of a laugh, and spread his wings out wide, flapping once before motioning for her to hop on.

"You want me to... ride?" she asked hesitantly, and he nodded fervently.

"I... Okay. If I fall off, you'd better catch me."

His amber eyes twinkled and he laughed again, unfolding his wings as she climbed on his back. She gripped her hands in the feathers at the base of his wings and held on tight as he lifted up off the ground with ease, soaring upward, high above the trees toward the north.

They flew swiftly through the night air toward Stormwind, and though Norivana's week had been a good one, nothing beat being back with her trusty Night Elf.


	18. The King's Assignment

**Whooo! I think I'm just about at the halfway mark with this story! ****Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. You all keep me going. ;)**

**Samochan: Yes, I'm planning on following the patches. Buuuut, seeing as I already have my ending planned, depending on what they do with 5.4, there may be inconsistencies between this story and what happens in the game. :P**

**To my guest, 'Y': Goodness me, that earned a good chuckle..**

**Also, I've got a sequel to this story in mind. I'll give more information on it near the end of this one, (I don't want to spoil anything!) but it will bring back some characters from this story, although it's going to be set about 200 years in the future. Main character will be different but we'll still see Norivana and Lucian. It will be much less 'Horde vs. Alliance' and much more... adventurous. **

**If I were to do something like that, would you all be interested in it? Or should I skip that idea?**

* * *

After they arrived within Stormwind limits and touched ground again, Norivana decided one thing: Lucian was being weird.

They had landed after only fifteen minutes or so of his flying, (he was ridiculously fast), and ever since she had planted her feet on the ground next to the keep, he'd switched into his feline form and hadn't spoken a single word to her.

At first she didn't really notice much, seeing as she was so interested and preoccupied with the fact that King Varian himself had a job for her, but after a little while, after she realized he was avoiding eye contact, she became suspicious.

As they walked up the long flight of stairs before the keep, Norivana finally stopped in her tracks, causing him to pause and glance over toward her.

"Out with it," she demanded, crossing her arms and giving him an amused look mixed with accusation.

His whiskers twitched and he shuffled his mane of fur, which rippled and reflected the light of the setting sun. His intelligent eyes studied her, glowing that honey gold that she had come to find comfort in.

Even in his cat form, he was still quite tall, his shoulders reaching about the height of her elbows. She now took the time to study him, realizing she had never actually paid full attention to how he looked as a cat. He had no tattoos or markings or anything that could give him away as a Druid, so for all anyone else knew, he could be her pet or her mount. The only thing that set him apart from the other animals was his eyes; they were far too intelligent, far too expressive for a mere beast.

His fur was a bright, almost painfully-pure white, and it almost seemed to glow with an icy touch, possibly a side-effect from his frost magic. He was large, lithe, with a certain look to him that reminded her of a lynx, rather than the usual Druid form. Perhaps that came with his alternate practices, she couldn't be sure.

He had a perfect set of pearly, gleaming, dangerously-sharp teeth, which glinted in the light as if they were his own built-in knives. Technically, Norivana thought to herself, they were.

In short, he was definitely a cool cat.

She continued to eye him, and when he did nothing but innocently lean back and sit on his haunches and give her the cat-version of a benign stare, she clicked her tongue.

"Tsch. Lucian, don't give me that look. Why are you avoiding me?" She smirked at him; for some reason his guilty state was amusing her.

The snowy Druid puffed a cat-like huff, which turned into a low rumble in his throat, but he still refused to shift out. He ducked his head slightly, twitching his whiskers again and glancing to the side.

"Fine, if that's how you want it," Norivana laughed, reaching out and scratching the thick white fur behind his ears and beginning to walk, "But don't say I didn't try."

He leaned into her hand as she pet his big, furry head, plodding beside her with silent feet. She smirked. For someone apparently trying to avoid her, he wasn't doing so great a job at it; he was literally leaning his fluffy shoulders against her side as he walked.

She had to be honest with herself, though. Although it had only been a week, she hadn't realized how much she missed his presence. She missed Aitto as well, obviously, but not the same way. Not to the point of where his absence was starting to get... painful.

That thought scared her a little.

Was she really so attached to this man that she'd be one of those women whose sense of well-being and happiness depends solely on that of his own? Would she be one of those who are rendered useless without the presence or support of a male figure?

No, of course not. She wasn't like that.

...But she was growing closer to it each day.

She hadn't noticed that her face had begun to twist into a frown at her thoughts until a guard pointed it out.

"Everything alright, elf?" the guard asked her sincerely as she approached the main door to the keep. Lucian glanced up at her, his face almost looking worried, if cats could look worried.

She immediately let a smile mask her face. "Yes, perfectly fine," she chirped, and the guard nodded with a slight bow.

"Very well," he replied, and held out his hands, "I'll need your weapons."

She pulled out her new daggers from their sheaths and reluctantly placed them into his hands. His brows shot up when he saw them.

"These are..." he trailed off, then gave her a wide-eyed look. "Where did you get these?"

"Awesome, aren't they?" she grinned, "Gifts from a friend of mine."

"A good friend at that... They're... legendary," the guard breathed, delicately turning the shining, glimmering weapons over in his hands, "Must have cost a fortune."

"I... I suppose," Norivana blinked, now letting the full reality of how impressive this gift to her really was. They'd cost Ian a fortune? She suddenly felt a lot more gratitude well up toward him. Yeah, she'd appreciated it, but maybe she hadn't appreciated it quite enough.

"Well, I'll keep them safe," the guard nodded to her, stepping out of the way and gesturing his hand into the keep, "You may proceed."

Lucian stuck to her side, making almost an almost purring sound as Norivana ran her hands lightly through the soft, thick fur on his shoulders. He still seemed nervous for some reason, which was starting to put her on edge. She had no idea what he was worried about, but it was concerning her now, pulling her mind from its focus and causing her to not realize what was going on until she was standing in front of Varian Wrynn. They'd entered a room to the side of the main throne room, which had a large table in the center that was littered with maps. Edoril, along with a few Humans and a Draenei were all standing there as well, making the room feel a bit packed.

She then realized Varian was speaking to her.

"...difficult, but I do believe you can do it. I need someone who knows the area, the language, and the people. Out of everyone I have here, you, with your talents, will be the best for this job. I need someone in and out, quietly as possible."

Norivana froze. Wait, what did he want her to do? "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? What are you asking of me?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

The king repeated himself simply, "I need to send you undercover into Orgrimmar."

_Orgrimmar?_ Norivana let herself intake a sharp breath. "What? Why?" she questioned a bit too loudly for her own taste, which earned a wince from Lucian to her left, who had shifted out and was leaning against the table. Was this what he was worried about? Her having to go to Orgrimmar?

She pursed her lips. Varian wanted her to go into what was now the heart of her enemy territory, into a place where she was apparently number one on Hellscream's list?

_Why?_

_"_I..." the king sighed once, giving her an apologetic look, "I am... sorry. But you are the best-fit to this job. Anyone else I send in will be discovered so easily, but with you being both a Blood Elf and a native to the city, it would make for a much smoother mission."

Norivana frowned a little deeper. If the king was trusting _her_ of all people with this covert of a mission, he must truly be desperate. "Okay," she began slowly, "But that doesn't answer _why_ you're sending me into the mouth of the enemy."

"I need you to... spy... on Garrosh."

This peaked her interest. She raised her brows. "That's... not what I was expecting."

"Well, not so much spy on him, as much as go in on a quick mission to gather intel as to what he is up to, perhaps find out why he's been gathering his armies and pulling them from their posts." The King drummed his fingers loudly against the table, "You are a formidable rogue, so I've heard, and I have no doubt your stealthing abilities will more than suffice for this mission. You won't even have to show yourself there, just hide in the corners and the shadows, listening to conversations and _maybe_ stealing documents or maps you think might be useful."

Norivana blinked a few times. When she'd heard she had an assignment from the king, she didn't know what she expected, but out of all things, never would it have been to _spy_ on Hellscream. But then again, as long as it helped the king - plus screwed over Garrosh in the process - well, it wasn't all that bad, honestly.

"So when do you need me to go?" she asked intently.

"As soon as possible." Varian replied, "I don't want the mission taking more than a total of a few days. I need you to get in there and get out; get as much information as you can, and leave. Master Edoril will be providing you with a portal to Darnassus, and from there you will fly south to Orgrimmar."

"I'm going alone, right?" Norivana asked, feeling a little down. She'd only just gotten back, and she had to leave them all again.

"Unless you've got someone with the same level of subtlety as yourself, I highly oppose you allowing anyone to accompany you. That would risk detection, which we cannot afford."

Norivana nodded resignedly. "I understand."

The king planted his hands on the table, looking around between Norivana, Lucian, Edoril, and a few people Norivana didn't recognize. "So be it." He gave her an intense look, "Good luck."

"I will do my absolute best," Norivana replied, bowing deeply.

Although it was a bit late, seeing as the sun had nearly hidden itself from view and all that was left was an orange sky, Edoril still suggested that she leave now. Lucian followed her closely as she left the small room, fidgeting his hands nervously.

"Lucian," Norivana turned abruptly as they had gained just enough privacy, "I really want to know what's wrong with you. It's worrying me."

He finally looked down at her, eyes flickering their glow for a moment. "I'm just... disappointed," he sighed.

"At what?"

"Myself. I feel trapped. Completely powerless. When I found you in Stranglethorn, you were being attacked. And I, I just..." Lucian paused, rubbing his eyes with his finger and thumb before clenching his hand into a fist, "I got so _angry_ at that elf. I've never been so furious before. And just the thought of you going to Orgrimmar, straight into the center of danger... For all I know, you might not make it back."

He continued, "I think about how that man was treating you and I imagine what could happen to you if things go wrong in Orgrimmar, and it _burns_, the anger, and I still can't do a thing about it. I... I don't know," he clenched his jaw tightly, creasing his brows painfully as he locked his eyes onto hers, "And then there's what I did... Right before you left. That was out of line, and I'm just... This is... very difficult. And confusing. I'm sorry." He let out a halfhearted laugh at his own rambling, running a hand over his face and smoothing the hair on his chin.

Norivana placed her hand in his and his fingers clasped in hers. His hands were warm but somehow seemed tired, weakened a little. "Lucian. It will all be alright. I'll be fine; I've done much more difficult things than this," she assured him with a strong, affectionate smile, "And about last week, well, I can't say I expected it, but that doesn't mean it was a bad thing."

He gave her a lackluster smile and sighed. "That's... a relief," he decided, then changed subject, "I'd like to accompany you as far as possible to Orgrimmar. It'll at least give me _some_ peace of mind.. Not much, but some."

"Please do," Norivana grinned at him, "I may go into 'Lucian' withdrawal if you don't."

A goofy smile then returned to Lucian's face, a flash of his normal, relaxed demeanor breaking through the foggy mask, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Norivana laughed before turning to seek out Edoril for his portal. She didn't let go of Lucian's calloused hand though; something gave her the impression that doing so could somehow upset him, noting the way his fingers wrapped around her hand almost too tightly, as if he was afraid she'd disappear again.

They found Edoril awaiting them in the throne room. He held a serious look on his face, and Norivana noticed that he looked exhausted, not to mention a clean, red-scarred cut was slashed across his forearm, a telltale mark of a sword.

"What happened to you?" Norivana asked, her voice raising, and Edoril shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Long story," he said resignedly in a bland tone, but then he flashed her a tired smile, "One moment, let me prepare the portal."

Norivana glanced at Lucian concernedly, but he returned a look that read 'I'll tell you later'. Edoril summoned a strong portal through which Norivana could see a very purple-y blue-hued area, similar to that of Astranaar but with a whole lot more buildings.

"Darnassus?" she asked, and Lucian and Edoril nodded at the same time. She continued with an excited smile, "Awesome."

Lucian stepped toward the portal and Edoril stopped him, placing a hand on his son's chest to keep him from leaving, "You're going too?"

"I'm not going to be with her when she's in Orgrimmar, but yes," Lucian placed a hand on his father's shoulder, "I'll be fine, Father, I always am."

Edoril relented, removing his hand and giving Lucian a tight smile, "Be safe out there," he said to both of them as they entered the portal. Norivana felt that shiver run down her spine as she passed through the swirling portal, and she knew it worked when her world transformed into a massive, impressive elf city.

"Whoa," she stared at the tall stone and wooden buildings, then at the gigantic trees that stretched up throughout the city.

"Haven't been here in three years," Lucian mused, craning his neck toward the sky and inspecting the area.

Norivana laughed and nudged him, "I haven't been here in ever."

He chuckled and nudged her back as he started to walk, pulling her along with him, "Then how about I show you around?"

"That sounds great and all," Norivana eyed him, "But aren't we sort of on a top-secret mission?"

Lucian waved his hand dismissively before placing his arm around her shoulders and smirking, "Yeah, of course, but I'd at least like to spend a little time here. The king _did _say you had a few days, so I don't think a couple hours would hurt anyone."

Norivana shrugged. "All right," she agreed, "But if for some reason I get in trouble for this, I'm pointing fingers at you."

"Agreed," Lucian chuckled, then paused mid-step, glancing to the side, "Hey, why don't we go get you some better supplies? They'd certainly help these next two days."

Before Norivana could reply, Lucian was dragging her toward a somewhat shady-looking building that seemed to be hiding in the corner of the district.

"Lucian," Norivana complained slowly, "This place looks a bit too creepy for my taste."

"They've got the best gear, regardless," Lucian said excitedly, pulling Norivana straight through the door of the questionable shop.

Inside was cluttered with armor pieces, which were filling up almost the entire space, covering all surfaces and hanging from busts and hangers on the ceilings. A single candle lamp was lit in the far corner, resting on a counter, the only clear surface in the shop. Behind the desk stood a small black-haired dark-skinned elf lady with an excessive amount of jewelry, piercings, and tattoos.

The woman called out to them, and Norivana was taken completely by surprise at how serene the elf's voice seemed in contrast to her appearance and surroundings.

"Welcome to Vaelia's Emporium," the woman began as she approached, her voice sounding almost like song, "Feel free to browse; I just got a new batch today I haven't sorted through yet, but if you find something in it you want, don't hesitate to ask."

Lucian gave the woman a cordial nod, and then his eyes focused on something behind her. Without warning he took off through the small store, dragging Norivana behind him by the hand.

"Lucian!" Norivana half-laughed half-scolded at the way he was toting her around. She almost had to start jogging to keep up with his swift pace, and he glanced back with a wily look but other than that ignored her and continued to pull her along. He then stopped abruptly, grabbed something off of a shelf, then whipped around and held it in front of her.

"Ta-da!" he exclaimed with a grin.

Norivana stared at the chest piece he was holding. It looked impressive, to say the least. It was of a thick, forest green-tinted leather, with a thin layer of steel plating adorning the front. It looked brand new, and immediately Norivana knew she needed it.

"How on earth did you see this amidst everything else?" Norivana gawked, running her fingers along the cool texture of the beautiful piece.

Lucian just laughed and inspected the piece himself, "So you like this one?"

The storekeep walked up behind them. "That piece is enchanted," she began, startling Norivana, "Best fit for rogues. Are you a rogue?" she asked Norivana.

"I am," Norivana replied, "And this," she reached out and took the armor from Lucian's hands, "is amazing."

Lucian laughed, and the woman smiled, "It's part of the new shipment I just got in. I've got its matching set as well back here, if you're interested."

Both Lucian's and Norivana's eyes lit up this time.

"You've got an entire set?" Norivana asked incredulously, feeling like a child during the Feast of Winter Veil.

"All enchanted and ready to go. You're free to try them on; if anything needs specially re-fit, there is a leatherworker a few doors over." The woman led them over to her desk and reached back behind it, pulling out a matching pair of green leggings, boots, shoulder guards, helmet, gloves, bracers, and belt. An entire set.

Norivana stared at the set, wide-eyed, scarce believing it was actually all there. And even better: when she began trying the pieces on over her light clothes, they fit almost perfectly, save a few minor problems that could be fixed with small coin. She could sense the enchantments buzzing through the armor pieces, and as she donned each piece, she could feel the way they provided more energy, flexibility, and speed.

She got everything strapped on tight, then reached out for the helmet, which was a silvery steel circlet connected externally to a thick, beaked hood that would blanket her face and make her even more unrecognizable when she went on her mission. And what made it even _cooler_ was that it was _green_. Green leather armor is among the best camouflage armor out there; seeing as about half the world is covered in the color green, it's a natural color, thus the eye tends to brush over it and block it out. Perfect, perfect, perfect.

She smoothed the hood over her head, tightening the circlet underneath it that would both keep it snug in place and provide extra protection. There were sewn slots in the hood for her ears, but she could tell it had been made for a night elf, because the ear slots were lower and larger. Another thing for the leatherworker to take care of.

She took a step back for Lucian to inspect it and did single slow twirl, holding her arms out.

"What do you think?" She grinned from under her hood, and he gave her a look of admiration.

"That looks…" he blinked a few times, taking in the sight, and shook his head with a shrug, "Intimidating, striking, frightening, you name it." He held a hand out and tapped the beak of the dark green hood, "And I must say the hood is my favorite part. It'll definitely help keep you incognito in Orgrimmar."

"That's what I was thinking," she commented, smoothing out the straps on the sides. Pretty much all she needed the leatherworker to do was tighten everything; Night elves are built larger than Blood Elves, and it was apparent in the armor. The shoes and gloves fit, to her delight, so no difficulties there.

As she started to remove everything again, Lucian pulled out a satchel of coins from his belt. Norivana, distracted by this, almost tripped over her own feet and stumbled to the side before catching herself, gaining an amused look from Lucian.

"Lucian I can pay for it," she huffed, trying to quickly free herself from the confines of the leg armor that was now wrapped around her ankles before he gave the woman the coins. This was the second time Lucian had seen her trapped in her own armor, and it was degrading to say the least. How does one expect a rogue to infiltrate a highly-guarded city when she can't even hold enough grace to escape an inanimate pair of leggings?

Frustrated, she finally yanked herself free and almost bounded over toward him, yanking her backpack off the floor as she made her way toward the desk.

She whipped the coin purse out and started pouring the gold coins into her hands, and Lucian and the storekeeper both stared at her with mixed expressions.

"I already paid," Lucian laughed, taking her coin-filled hand and folding her fingers back over the gold pieces, "Don't worry about it."

"How much?" she insisted. Lucian's mouth twitched at a smirk but he didn't answer, and he glanced over at the storekeeper with a look that said, 'Keep it between us'.

"Lucian," Norivana whined almost uncharacteristically, grudgingly placing the coins back into her purse, "At least let me pay for something. Almost everything I own has been either given to me or I've taken it without consent."

Lucian laughed again. "In time, sure. But right now I get to pay for it. I want to."

"Yeah, sure you do," Norivana grumbled, but she then gave him an appreciative smile, "Thanks."

He winked and thanked the storekeeper, then helped Norivana carry all the armor pieces out of the store. When they stepped out into the night air, Norivana was suddenly greeted by a tiny jet-black-and-snowy-white speckled owl that fluttered down and landed on the armor in her arms. She let out a squeak of surprise and would've dropped her cargo if not for Lucian reaching out and steadying her arm.

"Hold still," he murmured, wonder in his eyes. He very slowly, carefully bent down and placed the armor onto the ground before gradually raising an open hand toward the tiny owl, coaxing it to perch on his finger. He inspected the bird with excited eyes, then grinned at Norivana.

"I've only seen one of these my entire life," he commented, "They're very non-social and private creatures. For one to willingly fly up to a person is unheard of."

Norivana just stared at the little bird. It was obviously an owl, with a round face and gigantic, vivid golden eyes. Its feathers were a peppery black and silvery-white, speckling like a natural checkerboard down its back and chest. The wings faded from the black into pure white tips, as did its long-feathered tail, which draped gracefully down toward the ground.

The owl swiveled its head and stared straight at Norivana, eyes seeming almost too intelligent for comfort.

"So…" Norivana said with unease, "What do we do with it?"

"Let it do what it wants. If it follows you, I suppose you could take care of it, treat it like a pet," Lucian murmured, doing his best not to startle the creature.

With one free arm, Lucian reached back down and picked up the armor off the ground, hoisting it up under his arm and still allowing the owl to perch on his other hand. He nodded his head toward a building off to the right, "We're going there."

Norivana and Lucian and their new-found feathered friend all made their way to the leatherworker's shop, up the steps and in through the door. It was much more clean and orderly than the previous store, Norivana noticed, which she was thankful for. She wasn't a neat freak, but still; a little order goes a long way. The owl hooted and flew up in the rafters of the building, perching on a thin beam.

Norivana watched it for a second before walking up to who she believed was the main leatherworker, who was sitting in a chair, working dilligently.

He glanced up at her and froze, giving her tabard a quick check before relaxing. Norivana was thankful for the tabard; she probably would've been killed already if not for the simple Alliance banner plastered across her chest.

"Can I help you?" the man returned his gaze to a pair of boots in his lap, which he appeared to be treating with some sort of liquid chemical.

"Uh, yes," Norivana began, "I need a full set fitted."

The man raised a brow and looked up at her, "Have you the coin for such a task?"

She smiled, giving Lucian a triumphant look, "I do." She placed the armor on the ground and held up her coin purse, jingling it once for effect.

The man placed the boots down beside his chair and stood, wiping his hands on his pants with a smile, "Ah, music to my ears," he laughed, then inspected the armor at his feet. "Is this what you need taken care of?" he asked.

She nodded, and he picked up the chestpiece, holding it out in front of him.

"Impressive craftsmanship with this one," he mused, raising a brow, "Where did you get this?"

"Vaelia's Emporium," Lucian spoke up, carrying the rest of the armor over to the man.

"Ah," he said with a nod, "That explains it. Vaelia's sources and means of trade may be a bit shady, but her wares are priceless nonetheless." He continued, "You need it fitted then?"

"Tightened, yes," Norivana replied, "And the ear slots altered."

The man reached over for a roll of measuring tape, "I'll need to measure for more accuracy," he commented, holding it up, "Do you mind?"

Norivana raised her arms out to the sides in a 'T', shaking her head, "Not at all, go ahead." She'd been fitted with armor before, when she was a part of Hellscream's army.

The elf went to work, measuring around her waist and arms and legs and whatnot, marking the numbers on a piece of parchment as he went. Lucian had set to browsing around, picking up some of the man's leatherworking tools and looking at them like they were all some sort of foreign thingamajig he'd never seen in his life. He held up a particularly strange-looking tool that looked like a set of pliers, except the mouth of them was different. One side had a metal sphere, and the other was a concave half-sphere that fit the other side in it. He held it up and pinched the handle a few times, resulting in a small 'click click', and gave her an entertained look mixed with fake excitement, his eyes widening and his mouth set in an open grin.

He looked so ridiculous that Norivana clamped a hand to her mouth and tried to stifle a giggle but ended up chortling through her nose, and Lucian snickered at her reaction as he calmly placed the tools back onto the table and placed his hands behind his back, whistling innocently. The leatherworker shook his head and kept working, hiding a smile himself.

After he wrote the final number, he patted her on the shoulder once. "All done!" He exclaimed, and lifted up the armor set and toted it to his table.

"Come back in about two or three hours and I should be finished."

Norivana winced. Two or three hours spent waiting was two or three hours she could be spending on a hippogryph flying south. This was going to be a long flight... The only bad thing about taking a flying taxi was that they tended to take alternate, longer routes than was necessary. When she'd flown with Lucian, instead of curving with the rivers and flying around mountains and whatnot, they flew a straight, vertical line straight toward Stormwind that probably cut the flight time in half. It was extremely convenient.

After she paid the man, she and Lucian left the building, and to Norivana's surprise, the little owl flew along behind them and perched on her shoulder.

"Well, looks like you've got yourself a new pet," Lucian smiled at the creature, gently petting its feathers a few times, "I wonder why he's taken such a liking to you."

Norivana snorted playfully, "Pfft. It's because I'm awesome, simple as that."

The owl hooted once as if in agreement, and they both laughed aloud. Norivana yawned unintentionally. She really should have thought about getting some sleep before leaving...

Lucian seemed to read her mind. "Hey, we've got three hours. I'd say you should take that time to sleep before you have to leave. It'll make me feel better knowing you're not going to pass out in the middle of Orgrimmar." He beckoned her to follow, and although she didn't exactly want to waste all her precious time with him by snoozing it away, she knew it was the smartest thing to do.

They went to a nearby inn and Lucian rented out a room, and she trudged in and flopped down on the large bed, lazily removing her boots. It was crazy how quickly her exhaustion caught up with her when she finally allowed it to. She rolled over and smushed her face into a pillow happily, reveling in the comfort of the elven bed.

Lucian pulled a blanket off of a shelf on the wall and fluffed it out, placing it on the floor, and started to lie down onto it.

"Lucian!" Norivana scolded him, "What do you think you're doing?"

He paused, eyes widening as if he was somehow in trouble, glancing around in confusion, "I'm... taking a nap."

"Not on the floor!" she squeaked, appalled. Here she was about to sleep on a big, fluffy bed, while he slept on a wooden floor.

He laughed, "Norivana it's fine, I've done it countless times."

She crossed her arms defiantly and sat up, patting the bed next to her, "You get over here right now."

With a resigned half-laugh half-sigh, he stood and dragged the blanket behind him, then placed it onto the bed. She rolled over to give him space and placed her head back onto the pillow, already beginning to let her eyes droop. Lucian shuffled around in the bed for a moment, getting comfortable, then laid his head on his pillow and sighed.

"Much better, no?" Norivana smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes," he laughed, then turned and his back so he was facing away from her, curling in the blankets, "Now go to sleep."

She grinned as he doused the lamp on the bed table, then pulled her covers up to her face, drowning herself in the fluffy sheets, and fell asleep.

* * *

Norivana awoke to find herself tumbling off of the bed in surprise, shrieking loudly and yanking the covers off along behind her. Something very, very cold and wet had just hit her ear, and it didn't take her more than a few seconds to realize what had woken her up.

Lucian had just poured icy water onto her long ears, and now he was practically in tears, bracing himself against the wall in laughter.

"Why you little-!" Norivana gaped her mouth open, which then turned into a laugh as she pulled herself up against the bed, chucking a pillow at him. "I'll get you back for this!" She took a bedsheet and began wiping the water from the tips of her ears, which she _knew_ Lucian knew were very sensitive, like the elven version of a cat's whiskers.

He finally got to a point where he could speak amidst his laughter, "I couldn't wake you up, so I had to take more drastic measures."

"Drastic measures my ass," she snorted, "I'm not a heavy sleeper."

He raised his brows and gave her a quirky, mischievous smile, "Oh yes you are. You snore, too." He ducked as another pillow went sailing past him.

"I do not!" she retaliated.

"Oh yes," Lucian laughed, his chuckle warm and jovial, "You do."

Norivana bit her lip and shook her head at him. "You're impossible."

"Impossible to resist is more like it," he smirked at her, throwing the pillow back, "You couldn't stand it. Just _had_ to get me into bed."

"What?" Norivana squeaked, "No! No, I was just being nice!"

"Uhuh," he winked at her.

When she looked like a trapped animal, Lucian burst out laughing again, stepping across the room and ruffling her hair once before turning to the door, "I'm teasing you, Goofball."

Norivana let out an irritated sigh, but she couldn't help but smile a little. What a twerp.

She changed the subject, "What time is it?"

"About two in the morning, if the innkeeper is correct," he stated, and Norivana was pleased. She'd arrive in Orgrimmar before the sun rose, giving her time to get situated without difficulty.

She followed Lucian out the door, feeling a little guilty as to how messy the room was left, with blankets all over the floor and pillows thrown askew. Maybe she would just give the hostess a little extra tip.

When they exited the inn, they were greeted once again by that little black owl.

"What are you going to name him?" Lucian asked her as they walked toward the western side of the city at what looked like a giant pink swirling dome-thing.

"Haven't decided," she mused, allowing him to perch on her shoulder again. He hooted twice and ruffled his feathers once before swiveling his head around, probably looking for food.

Food.

Norivana didn't realize she was hungry as well until then. Lucian stopped at a vendor, who had a traveling cart behind her and was offering all sorts of newly-baked goods as well as dried meats and less-easily-perishable foods. Lucian bought a sack full of various breads, cheeses, peppered jerkey, fruits, and two water skins, then tossed Norivana hunks of bread, meat, and cheese as they continued through the city.

As she gladly devoured her tasty food, Norivana observed the people here. Everyone she'd met here thus far was friendly, laid-back, and quiet, a big change from what she was used to. It was like being here slowed down time, as if everyone worked at a 50% speed as opposed to the rest of the world. Tall trees surrounded the city, and from what she could tell, the city was actually part of a tree itself. The entire place was covered in purple and pink flowers; literally every grassy surface was painted with them, and it made it all look very fairy-tale-like.

They stopped to pick up her armor on the way, which was hanging on a rack to the side of the room. She changed into it quickly, and she was extremely pleased at its outcome. It fit perfectly, snug but not tight, and flowed with her movements almost like a second skin. It was also completely silent, surprisingly, with not even the leather making a single sound as she bent or moved. It was light, comfortable, and strong: more-or-less perfect. She sheathed her silver daggers at her belt and pulled the hood over her head, then looked in a mirror the leatherworker provided for her.

She almost didn't recognize herself. She looked like the paintings people would make of spies or assassins, the way her face was fully shadowed by the hood and her armor layered itself perfectly. The only thing she could see from her face was her green eyes, but also for some reason she noticed they'd faded a little. She hadn't fed on the fel magic in a _long_ time, since way before that fateful day in Warsong Gulch, and it was showing. But now, instead of the green glow, it was more of an almost white or silvery color, the color of the Night Elves.

She glanced at Lucian, "My eyes are changing color."

He furrowed his brows, "Yes, I noticed."

"Why are they changing?"

"I thought about it," he began, "And I realized they have been fading ever since I gave you that necklace. It could be that you're tapping into my magic, the magic of the moonwells, rather than your usual fel stuff."

Norivana raised her brows, "Actually, that's kind of awesome."

Lucian laughed and picked up her old armor. "Do you still want this?"

It was generic, simple armor that she'd never have need for, so she shook her head, "No, I think I'll just sell it."

The leatherworker obliged, saying he'd like to buy it and fix it up, so she sold it to him. He gave her a decent price, which she vowed to discreetly slip into Lucian's pockets when he wasn't paying attention, her own personal way of paying him back for buying her armor.

Lucian then led her toward that pink dome that appeared to have taken the place of the roots of a large tree. She couldn't see what was in it, but she had the idea that Lucian was walking straight for it.

"Lucian," she pulled him to a halt, and he glanced back at her, awaiting an explanation as to why she stopped. She continued, "Where are we going? What is that?"

He smiled understandingly, "That is a portal that'll take us to a tiny island at the base of this tree. From there you can fly."

"That's a portal?" Norivana wondered, raising a brow, "Weird."

Lucian chuckled and pulled her along with him straight into the swirling pink fog. Norivana thought she'd start coughing or wouldn't be able to see anything, but the port was so instantaneous that one moment she was walking into the fog, and the next, she was staring at a nighttime ocean over lantern-lit docks. Behind her was a massive tree, Teldrassil, rising up out of the water with evidence of Darnassus far up in its branches. So she'd taken a portal from up there to down here? Very cool.

"Rut'theran Village," Lucian announced, arcing his arms out wide, "Center of transportation to and from Darnassus."

Norivana looked around. It was very tranquil, this place, the sound of the water lapping at the shore lulling the mood into a relaxed, ever-calm state. To her left was a hippogryph master, surrounded by the nested creatures.

"It's too bad they don't fly like you do," she sighed, "I like your flying much better. No feathers in my boots or saddle-soreness."

Lucian shrugged, then his eyes lit up. "I _could_ fly you there, you know."

"I..-" Norivana raised her brows. She hadn't even thought of that, honestly. But now that he was offering it... "That would be amazing. Will you tire though?"

He snorted, "Of course not. You're not heavy."

"Maybe not, but it's a long flight," she said hesitantly.

"Norivana, I'll be fine," he chuckled, "Plus, this will save time and money."

She smiled. This trip was _definitely_ turning out better than how she thought it would.

"Need anything else before we leave?" Lucian asked her, taking a few steps out of the way, to the side of the little island.

"I'm ready to go," she smiled, and he nodded. Again he shifted into that shiny white bird, which gave Norivana's poor owl a dreadful fright. The owl hooted loudly and began flapping in circles above them in distress, and Norivana laughed as she climbed onto Lucian's feathery back. The owl, after it recovered, flew after them as Lucian took off in flight, flapping his gigantic wingspan and lifting them both high into the sky.

They soared over the night ocean and over the forests of Darkshore, toward the southeast, toward Orgrimmar.

* * *

**Meeting a new supporting/companion character next chapter. Things are going to get interesting. :D**


	19. Game-Changer

**Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You're all fabtastic! **

* * *

**I'm gonna start replying to my reviewers because seriously, you're all extremely awesome and as such deserve recognition. **

**Invader Tyleana: I do play WoW! I started in '05, if I remember right. I play mostly on Sargeras realm now, and generally Alliance, but I've got all sorts of various characters lying around that I play occasionally. **

**Woe the Dead: Oh man, well, Luciana is better than something like Norivucian.. Norivucian sounds like a disease. :P**

**vatam01: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! :)**

**KM50: Thanks for the awesome review. You guessed half-right.. Read this chapter to find out!**

**Connet: NO MORE GUESSING! ;D**

* * *

"Watch what ya say about my people, Warchief," a rough, deep Darkspear Troll's voice warned, carrying through the domed building and out the door.

Norivana sighed. She'd been listening to these two argue for a ridiculously long time. Upon arriving at Grommash Hold, she'd heard what she believed to be the beginning of this quarrel. On one side of the argument was a Troll, and the other was the ever-hated Garrosh Hellscream, and they were apparently discussing the terms of the Troll chief Vol'jin. Garrosh was livid, seeing as according to the Troll messenger, Vol'jin presumably wasn't listening to nor heeding any of Garrosh's orders, rather he was palpably disregarding them and following what he thought was best for his people and for the Horde.

This earned a mental thumbs-up from Norivana toward Vol'jin; though she'd never met the guy, she decided he must know what he's doing.

Anyway, she was getting fairly frustrated. All she'd gotten so far was merely a solidification of the fact that the Trolls were on edge with Garrosh. That wasn't news; many of the other Horde races were getting uneasy as well.

She smushed herself a little flatter against the wall and batted away some flies that were buzzing around her. She was stealthed and silent but not daring to actually enter the hold. The two creatures were loud enough that it wouldn't be necessary to go inside.

"The fact that you do not refer to them as 'our' people is the reason we have a problem in the first place, _Troll_!" Hellscream's telltale growl ripped out in response, and she heard a loud thud, like a fist hitting a table.

Then, to Norivana's utter shock, she heard a familiar voice.

"We have better things to worry about than Vol'jin's petty defiance, Warchief," the voice spoke up in an interruption of the argument, and Norivana had to clap a hand to her mouth to restrain from making a sound of surprise.

Although she'd only known the man for a small while, she'd recognize Sarion's voice anywhere. She tried to get over her shock while the argument continued from the Troll.

"Vol'jin will not sit by while ya destroy da Horde and everything Thrall fought to preserve, all because of none but a mere personal vendetta," the Troll rumbled back haughtily, and though Norivana couldn't see him, she could practically _hear_ his scowl.

"And this," the Troll paused, "This _abomination_ ya keep in ya midst... It's proof that ya mind is gone."

Norivana heard Sarion growl loudly while Hellscream cut in, "Tell your damned chieftain to say that to me in person," Hellscream roared, "And to not send a pathetic whelp as his messenger, lest he is too cowardly to do so. Everything I do is for the glory and the power of the Horde."

"My chieftain is many, many things, Warchief," the Troll's strong, gravelly voice warned in response, ignoring Garrosh's blatant insult toward him and focusing solely on the honor of his leader, "But he be not a coward. I stick by Vol'jin. It should be him that be leadin' us to glory. Ya motives are selfish and rash, Warchief."

The Warchief's rough roar became ridiculously loud, startling Norivana. "YOU DARE SHOW SUCH INSOLENCE AND DISRESPECT IN MY THRONE ROOM?" He bellowed, then seethed for a moment before continuing in a snarl, "If Vol'jin retained even a fraction of the honor and bravery you Trolls boast about, he would be standing here before me, facing me with his hollow threats! A coward he is, and a coward he always will be!"

"No. Not a coward," the Troll repeated, his voice remaining level, "Just smart."

Absolute silence fell for almost twenty seconds.

Then Hellscream let out a low, furious growl, his voice seething with hatred as he slowly hissed his words. "Get out of my sight."

"Gladly," the Troll retorted stiffly, and Norivana tiptoed quickly to the side of the building so as to not be discovered.

She heard the soft shuffling of bare two-toed feet leaving the building, and she watched the door as the Troll stalked out, his face tightened in a frown and sharp teeth grinding against his tusks angrily. He shook out his thick, vivid golden mane and let out a loud, sharp whistle through his teeth. A large, colorful orange tiger joined his side in response, letting a deep growl rumble from its furry chest.

The Troll looked around once, brows knit in annoyance, then took a deep breath of the early morning air, straightening up his back and cracking his vertebrae and knuckles before taking a step. Norivana backed up a little more, crouching down and flattening against the wall of Grommash Hold.

For a moment after he'd begun walking, Norivana stood, still stealthed and hiding in the dark morning shadows. The Troll's long ears twitched and he stopped in his tracks, then cocked his head to the side, though not actually looking toward her. His tusks glinted in the early light and she froze, not even breathing, wondering how in the world he would have heard her.

To her relief, he shook his head and continued walking on the road beside her, dangerously close but passing her by with his tiger in tow. After he was about ten feet away, she finally let out the breath as silently as possible, closing her eyes in relief.

Then came a sight from the door of the Hold so terrifying that Norivana nearly lost support in her knees.

Sarion stepped out of the door, but it wasn't Sarion.

Well it _was_, but it wasn't... _Sarion_.

He still had the same angled, intense face, but his eyes were now glowing a sickly green like that of her own race. Not only that, but he had intricate tattooed runes all over his chest and shoulders, which gave off a cold, somehow icy heat and glowed an unhealthy, pale green. His skin had greyed from its usual purple-y blue, and his hands now sported angry claws that curled dangerously. Even his hair itself, though it was jet black, was taking on an almost iridescent look, like that of a raven's feather.

And the most terrifying thing about him was his horns. He had a pair of demonic horns sprouting from his head, twirling back almost elegantly beside his long ears before curling back up and around.

How he'd transformed into this... this creature, was completely beyond her, unless he'd had some _serious_ demonic help. And it appeared, to her dismay, that he did.

Norivana couldn't help it and she gasped, clamping a hand to her mouth. Thankfully, he didn't hear her, as he seemed quite determined in his walk, and once he reached the end of the path leading to the main road in the city, he whistled a very sharp, high-pitched whistle. Down from the sky flew a massive dark-scaled proto-drake, which was harnessed and ready to go, and in one swift move Sarion had placed himself in the saddle and was flying rapidly toward the northern end of the city.

Norivana stared blankly after him in the cloudy early morning sky, having completely forgotten her need for subtlety, mouth gaping open and eyes wide.

"Sarion, you poor soul," Norivana whispered to herself, a look of upset etched on her face. Less than a second afterward, she completely regretted saying that, for to her surprise, that Troll that had exited earlier was still nearby.

The Troll's ears twitched again at the sound of her voice and he paused, turned, and looked straight at her. She was taken so strongly by surprise that he could see her through her stealth that she froze while he instantly raised his intricate crossbow and shot a steel-pointed arrow straight into her shoulder.

It was a perfect shot; had it been even a half-inch in any direction, her armor would have deflected it. But it had hit cleanly through one of the only breaks in the protective covering. Before she managed to make a sound or move, the Troll had taken four swift, long steps toward her, stepping around behind her, clamping one gigantic two-fingered hand around her mouth and the other one grasping her side so she wouldn't fall.

His voice hissed in her ear, "I dont take kindly to bein' spied on, Hellscream Pet."

She squirmed again, trying to escape, but her shoulder erupted in pain, causing her to hiss against his hand that was clasped about her mouth. The entry point of the arrow, rather than dulling down, began to flare up in pain, now a searing burn.

And what was worse, the burn was spreading, weakening her muscles and causing her mind to blur. She'd been shot with a poisoned arrow? Bad, _bad _news.

The last thing she experienced before the world darkened completely was being tossed over the Troll's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Her eyes drooped shut, and her mind fell into the void.

* * *

_"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Lucian had asked her as she strapped her bag over her shoulder. He gave her a worried look before glancing behind her at the Horde city rising out of the desert, and his brows furrowing in a grimace._

_They had just perched on the top of a low mountain that separated Durotar and Ashenvale; on one side was Orgrimmar and the other was a long stretch of blue-green forest. They were well-hidden there, standing under small outcrop that could almost be considered a cave. From where they stood, Norivana could see over the entire city. Norivana was preparing to enter the city, both mentally and physically. _

_She smiled at Lucian. "I'm all set. I'll be back before you even begin to miss me."_

_Lucian raised a brow and laughed, muttering half to himself, "I already do."_

_With an soft sigh, Norivana patted a hand on his chest reassuringly, "I'll be back soon."_

_His jaw pulsed and he gave her a weak, tense smile but didn't say anything. A dry, hot wind suddenly blew through the hills, catching Lucian's silver hair, which still somehow managed to flow flawlessly smooth and silky, not a hair out of place. _

_Norivana bit her lip. Why, oh why did he have to be so perfect _all_ the freaking time? It was making this whole 'saying goodbyes' thing much more difficult than it should have been. _

_She turned to go, dropping her hand, but to her surprised relief he caught it and pulled her back around._

_"Norivana, I..." he floundered, searching for the right words. "I know... I know you'll be fine, but if something _does _happen, I just..."_

_She knew exactly what he was trying to say. Now was probably the best time to own up to what they were both repressing._

_"Lucian," she began with a smirk, pulling her hood away from her face and letting it fall to her shoulders, "I feel like I never fully addressed what went down between you and me before I left Stormwind last week."_

_He opened his mouth to speak, his golden eyes switching from worried to mildly sheepish and amused, and he glanced to the side, smirking with one corner of his mouth. "Yeah, I uh... That was sort of..." He licked his lips as if that would somehow give him the proper word choice he was looking for._

_Norivana began giggling and she reached up and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, pulling his face down to meet hers and finally returning that kiss that he'd given her in the Golden Keg inn. At first, Lucian was surprised and he tensed up, but that only lasted a half second before he gladly wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let go for anything._

_She didn't know particularly how long it lasted, as she sort of lost herself in the kiss within the first second, but her mind eventually recovered and she had to pull apart, knowing that precious time was ticking away._

_Lucian reluctantly freed her, his eyes closing tightly. He looked torn between allowing her to leave or whisking her away with him, running away from all the stress and responsibility._

_"I have to go," she said with a shrug, nodding her head back toward Orgrimmar, "Duty calls."_

_He seemed a little more lenient now, and he couldn't help but grin at her. "Go kick some Warchief ass," he winked._

_"More like... Steal some Warchief intel," she replied, then jokingly grimaced. "That doesn't sound as cool."_

_Lucian shrugged, his eyes sparkling, " I suppose if it's _you_ doing it though, anything's cool."_

_"That was ridiculously cheesy!" she burst out laughing, but her laugh was interrupted when he caught her back up in his arms and again claimed her smiling lips with his own. _

_"You're making this difficult," Norivana giggled as she reluctantly pulled away again, forcing herself to turn toward the massive city. _

_"I'm just glad to know that my brave move with you last week wasn't a fluke," he chuckled, his voice rich and cheerful. He then reached around and placed her hood back onto her head and gave her an encouraging nudge forward, "You'd best be going now though. The sun will be up in an hour or so. I'll be here when you return."_

_With one last smile, Norivana adjusted her dark hood and began her way toward the city with new determination._

* * *

The strong smell of burning incense flooded Norivana's senses and her eyes fluttered open as a cool cloth was dabbed against her bare shoulder, which was still in a lot of pain.

Her mind struggled between the reality of now and the memory she'd just been reliving. Oh, if only she could have paused time back there with Lucian on the mountain, suspending everything but him and her and each other's company. The yearning almost made her heart ache.

But no, she was somewhere dark, cool, and unknown.

In a whirl of adrenaline and confusion she sat up almost too violently, an action that caused her head to swim, and she then almost immediately collapsed back against the hard surface she was lying on.

A voice came out in a gruff whisper to her side, "Tsss. Calm ya self. I didn't realize who ya was 'til after I checked ya bags and found this, Elfie. Sorry about the misunderstandin'."

Norivana glanced toward the voice and was greeted with the same Troll who had pierced her shoulder with a poisoned arrow. He was holding up her Alliance tabard that he'd removed from her bag.

"Wh-why haven't you killed me then?" Norivana asked him, straining to keep her eyes in focus, "If you know who I am, then you know Garrosh wants me dead."

"Just because ya be an enemy of Garrosh don't mean ya be an enemy of the Darkspear," he replied simply, giving the tabard in his hands another quick once-over.

Norivana frowned, "That's a strange stance for someone supposed to be loyal to his law."

"Vol'jin be furious with Garrosh and he don't be takin' Garrosh's orders no more," the blue-skinned, long-eared man explained, crumpling the tabard in a two-fingered fist, "And fo' good reason too. Garrosh be destroyin' the Horde."

"Can't argue with that," Norivana mumbled, then glanced around again at her unfamiliar surroundings, "Where am I?" It appeared she was in a tiny hut, but other than that, she had no idea.

"Ya still in Orgrimmar," he murmured in assurance as he tossed the tabard back onto her bag, then cleansed a bloodied cloth in a bucket before walking back over to her and placing it onto her wound. She clenched her teeth tightly but other than that didn't make a sound.

"Who are you?" she asked through gritted teeth after the pain subsided for a bit.

"I be called Eko the Second-Sighted, Warden of the Darkspear Trolls, and Hand to Vol'jin."

Norivana let out one short laugh, then winced at the pain in her shoulder, "That's quite a title."

He smirked through his tusks, "Call me Eko fo' short."

"Echo? Like the sound?" Norivana wondered, "That's not very... Troll-like."

"E-k-o," he spelled it out, " Zandali word for 'perception'."

"Oh," Norivana mumbled, "I don't know Zandali."

"Yes, I caught that much," Eko chuckled. "I got a question for ya, Elfie," he added, "What are ya doin here?"

"Lying on a hard surface and being medically treated by a Troll who shot me with a poison-tipped arrow. Isn't it obvious?" Norivana chided, hiding a smirk.

The Troll paused and gave her an amused look, "Ya be smartin' off to me? Brave move, seein' as I be the one with the bandages and the poison."

Norivana exhaled in a half-laugh and continued, "I can't tell you what I'm doing here, but I can tell you it's got nothing to do with you, so you needn't worry."

"If it be involving spyin' on the Warchief, it got everything to do with me," Eko corrected her, now wrapping soft Netherweave cloth bandages around her shoulder.

"And how do I know you're not the Warchief's spy yourself?" Norivana asked, but immediately felt dumb. Obviously he wasn't; his argument this morning was sort of proof of that.

Eko looked at her plainly, "I suppose ya don't know, do ya?" He nudged her to sit up and she did, dangling her legs over the edge of what appeared to be a table. "Roll ya shoulder once tah see if ya can move it right."

She did, and to her surprise, whatever Eko had applied to the wound, along with the bandages, had killed the pain and allowed for nearly full movement.

Eko nodded pleasingly and re-did the straps on her armor, placing her shoulder pad back on and tightening the ties.

Norivana frowned, finally thinking back to how Eko had been able to somehow sense her.

"Eko," she began, and he raised a brow as she continued, "How did you see me when I was stealthed?"

"They don't call me 'Second-Sighted' for nothin'," he winked at her, "Special secret."

He then walked across the room and retrieved her backpack. "We gotta go. Vol'jin will be eager to speak to you."

"What?" Norivana cocked her head, "I'm not going to speak to Vol'jin." Sen'jin village was all the way at the southern tip of Durotar, first of all, and second of all, she had a job to do.

"Maybe not by choice," Eko replied, "But ya will be seein' him soon enough." He tossed her bag to her and then lifted one foot onto a chair to tighten the straps on his boot.

Norivana tensed, automatically placing her hands on the weapons at her belt. Was this the Troll's way of telling her he was taking her as a prisoner? Not on her watch, he wasn't.

"I'm not going with you," she responded in a warning tone.

Eko's hands paused on his boot and he glanced up at her, then stood and turned toward her, "Yes, actually, I think ya are, Elfie."

When she abruptly hopped off the table, Eko reached up behind his shoulder and retrieved his crossbow, aiming it at her, "And don't think ya can try anything funny. I don't want to hurt ya, but I got my orders. I already caught ya once, I can do it again."

Norivana began to chuckle darkly, one hand subtly going to a special item on her belt, "You really think so?" she asked him, eyeing him sideways.

"Ya be outta ya league, Rogue," he smirked at her as his crossbow clicked ominously, ready to fire.

"Oh, well in that case..." Norivana shrugged, looking to the side dejectedly and taking a slow, lazy step toward him.

Eko squinted his eyes at her but kept his cold smirk, following her with the point of his bow.

"Relax," she laughed at him, though internally steeling herself, "I get it. You can see through stealth, plus you've got a super-scary bow that shoots poison. I yield."

He lowered his bow, giving her a confused, entertained laugh, "Perhaps I gave ya a bit too much of that painkiller."

Eko lowered his guard, and now Norivana took her chance. She gripped the tiny item she'd been thumbing on her belt and pulled the pin, dropping it right at Eko's feet and holding her breath as the smoke bomb exploded, filling the entire room and blinding the Troll.

She relied on every other sense than sight, remembering how he'd been standing before the bomb had blinded them both. Within mere seconds, she had both kicked the crossbow far from Eko's hands and knocked him backward onto the ground. She leapt over him, pinning his arms down with her knees and holding a knife at his neck, grinning triumphantly.

The smoke cleared within a few seconds, rising up through the chimney of the building and diffusing through the reeds of the roof, clarifying both of their vision.

Eko looked so incredibly surprised that he wasn't even bothering to struggle against her, just breathing a little heavier and glancing down at the silver blade held at his throat.

He cleared his throat once, then said softly, "I... suppose I spoke too soon."

"You think?" Norivana smirked. "I told you. I'm not going anywhere with you."

Eko swallowed. "Alright, Elfie. Ya win this time."

"Yes I do," she replied smugly, "Now I think I'm going to take this opportunity to ask you a few questions."

He squirmed a bit, but when she pressed the sharp of her blade a little tighter against his stubbly neck, he froze.

"Ask away," he resigned with a forced sigh, blinking in annoyance at the fact that this elf half his size was holding him at knife point.

She gave him a mock-cordial nod. "Thank you. Now," she began, "I just want to know some things on Garrosh. How much do you know about what he's been up to lately?"

Eko seemed at war with himself. He looked like he wanted to speak, but was hesitant of the consequences of doing so. He finally spoke. "I maybe know... some things."

Norivana was pleased. "Good! Let's start at the beginning. What's Garrosh doing with Sarion?"

Eko's brows furrowed. "Ya mean his demon?"

That title for the elf threw Norivana a little off, but she nodded.

"Far as I know," Eko sighed, "Garrosh be usin' him and his knowledge of the Alliance, nothin' more. But for some reason when the demon tells the Warchief what to do or suggests somethin', for the most part, the Warchief follows the order. Like he be tryin' to impress or something weird."

"What?" Norivana asked, confused.

"Sarion, the demon-elf," Eko repeated slowly, "He be almost like the Warchief's pet. Doin' exactly what he say. But then the Warchief listens to what Sarion says too, like he be wanting to please him all the time."

This was the strangest thing Norivana had ever heard. So Sarion was in cahoots with Hellscream, that much was for sure, but what was this? Hellscream was using him almost as an adviser? Now that was the weirdest, most bizarre news she'd received.

"That's..." Norivana trailed off. Seriously... What the hell? Garrosh, she decided, has most definitely completely gone off the deep end now.

Eko spoke up again, "Need to know anythin' else, or can I get up?"

Norivana snapped back into her interrogation. "Why has Garrosh been pulling his armies from their posts and gathering them here in Orgrimmar?"

Eko coughed. "That's a bit top-secret, Elfie. I don't think ya should go there."

"It's the whole reason I'm here in the first place, Troll," she replied with a quirked brow, "I'll find out somehow."

"Who sent ya here?" Eko avoided her question and asked with genuine curiosity, seemingly forgetting that he was the one being interrogated.

"King Varian Wrynn," Norivana replied back simply.

Eko's eyes lit up as if this news was the best he'd heard in a week. "Ya don't say?" He licked his lips once, "Elfie, I got a proposition for ya."

Norivana smirked, her mind having switched course and now laced with curiosity. "Humor me."

"Take me to see him. Dependin' on the outcome of my meeting with Garrosh, I been ordered to contact the Alliance king."

"Contact him?" Norivana asked, digging her knees down a little harder when he squirmed again and causing him to wince. "What about?"

"Also top-secret, girlie," he smiled widely, "Not to be discussed here."

She shook her head, "You tell me now or I don't take you."

He paused a second, then lowered his voice almost to the point of where she couldn't even hear him, "Vol'jin be plannin' an invasion against Garrosh."

Norivana was so surprised she almost lost her grip and let him go. "What? An invasion? Seriously?"

"Shhhh," he hissed, rolling his eyes, "Yes. Vol'jin, along with Sylvanas, be fed up with Garrosh. He gonna send in a full frontal attack, and he be needin' Alliance help from the sea."

_Whoa_, Norivana thought to herself, _This is even bigger than we thought._

Eko squirmed a little more, "So will ya let me go now?"

Norivana didn't budge. "Even if I do take you with me, how do I know that you won't, I don't know, shoot me the second I let you go or turn my back?"

"Ya don't," he replied simply, "But I can give ya my word that I'm speakin' genuine truth. I'll even let ya take my weapons when we go."

"Even your crossbow?" Norivana asked him, squinting her eyes.

"Especially my crossbow," said the Troll.

Norivana sighed, weighing her options. If what Eko was saying was true, he held all the information she had needed from Garrosh, along with even more extras from Vol'jin. Seeing as she was on an intel mission, he was hands-down the best source she could ask for. As long as he could be trusted, that is.

"Fine," she replied, and when he started to move she stopped him, "But," she eyed him, "Any false moves and you're back on the ground with a knife - this time planted into your skull."

His eyes widened slightly in what looked like fear before he masked it and smiled harmlessly at her, "Ya got ya-self a deal."

She gave him one last look of warning before removing her knees from his arms and standing up off his chest, sheathing her knives. He sat up and rubbed his arms a little before glancing around for his Crossbow. He found it, only to realize it was already strapped over Norivana's uninjured shoulder.

He smirked, "Ya were serious about that, huh?"

"Dead serious," she responded, "I don't want to take any chances."

He held his hands up in surrender, "Do what ya must."

Norivana strapped her backpack on and gave him a happy smile, relieved at how simple this had truly been, other than the whole 'getting shot with poison' deal.

"So," Eko began, popping the joints in his vertebrae and neck before shaking out his arms and loosening up, "Ya got transportation plans?"

"I do," she replied plainly, pulling her hood up over her head and walking out the door in front of him.

He followed her silently as she exited, whistling for his tiger to join. Norivana realized it was still somewhat dark out, the clouds making it even darker. Great timing, honestly.

She leaned over to speak to Eko as they walked, "How long was I out then? Hour or so?"

Eko laughed aloud, reaching out and patting her back once, an action that caught her mildly off-guard. That was a Lucian move. "Ya been sleepin' the entire day, Elfie."

Norivana stopped in her tracks, surprised. It was nighttime? "Whoa," she slowly began walking forward, then sped up quickly, walking up a ramp toward the western gates of the city. She'd been sleeping all day; no wonder she wasn't feeling so bad from the poison. It'd had quite enough time to work itself from her system.

After a little while, Eko spoke up.

"My poison wasn't actually supposed to knock ya out," Eko confessed as Norivana ducked behind a building as a burly Orc guard walked past.

"Well that backfired for both of us, then," Norivana scoffed and stepped lightly back out through the city streets.

"Yeah, sorry," Eko laughed partially to himself, brushing one hand through his glossy mane of gold hair.

They reached the western gates within a few minutes, and without warning, Norivana stealthed, remembering that Eko could somehow still see her when she was invisible. She was determined to find out how he did that, by the way.

She snuck out through the large, ominous gates, past the guards that were stationed there, with Eko trailing behind her. He gave the Orcish guards an awkward smile and - to Norivana's chagrin - a meager wave, obviously trying not to look suspicious but in turn making it even worse, so Norivana reached back and tugged on his arm. He got the point and hurried up, his tiger following him diligently.

They took a hidden route up toward the north in the mountains; when she'd left Lucian up there, Norivana had discovered what looked like a gazelle path leading up through the rocky ravine, which worked perfectly as her guidance.

Eko didn't question her, just followed her, looking both excited and curious.

Eko seemed different than many of the Trolls she'd met. He appeared younger, not so battle-worn and jaded like the ones she'd fought beside in Hellscream's army. He stood just a bit straighter, not quite as hunched as most, and his eyes, rather than a beady, harsh red like other Trolls she'd seen, were a youthful blue hue, stark contrast to what she was used to. They held a certain innocence to them, an almost wild look, full of excitement, yet still extremely intelligent.

He had a thick mane of coarse gold hair that darkened to orange-y red tips as it flowed wildly over his shoulders, and it was speckled with braids and beads and all sorts of shiny metal ties and whatnot. He had apparently branded his long, curled tusks, permanently etching them in detailed, dark designs that Norivana guessed meant something in Darkspear customs. He also had a few gold rings fitted firmly onto his tusks, sort of completing the look.

Perhaps this was what many of Vol'jin's people looked like when they hadn't been constantly repressed under Garrosh's tyrant rule. It was definitely a better look, she'd give him that much.

As they neared that secluded cave, Norivana's necklace began to buzz and she felt the wound on her shoulder start to knit itself back together. It hadn't been hurting, but she'd been fully aware of the fact that she wasn't able to use her arm correctly, so when the necklace began healing her, it was a nice surprise.

She glanced around once for Lucian as she climbed up the rocky slope but didn't see him. Suddenly, above her he appeared, looking frantic.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, brows knit in worry.

"Do I look like I'm not?" she laughed as she accepted his hand and he pulled her up in front of him.

He ran his eyes over her once as if checking her for injury, "I felt the necklace pull from my restorative pool."

"Oh," Norivana smirked, glancing back at Eko, who then pulled himself up next to them, "That's his fault. He shot me."

Lucian frowned, looking between Norivana and Eko. "I'm missing something."

With a smile, Norivana patted him on the arm as she stepped away from the edge of the cliffside and pulled out her Alliance tabard to put it back on, "This is Eko, one of Vol'jin's men. We need to take him back to Varian. He's got all the information we need, plus some."Eko finally spoke up in Common to Lucian, "Vol'jin's cookin' somethin' special up for Garrosh and he needs ya king's help."

Lucian raised his brows, giving Norivana an impressed look as if to say, 'Where'd you find this guy?'.

"Now that sounds a bit ominous," said Lucian.

Norivana nodded. "Yeah, so, I was thinking we can just... haul him along with us through your portal."

"Fine by me," Lucian chuckled, then glanced at Eko's tiger, "Sorry, Eko, you will need to muzzle your cat when we go, though."

Eko looked a little downcast, but he nodded and pulled out a leash of sorts from his pack and gently applied the muzzle to his tiger, tying it tight enough that the cat wouldn't be able to bite, but not too tight for discomfort.

The tiger seemed perfectly fine with it, so that was a relief.

As Lucian was packing up his things, which were a few books, the food, some water, etcetera, Norivana thought about telling him about having seen Sarion back with Hellscream, but then she paused. He was only just starting to recover from their loss, and to learn this new information could either make him or break him, depending on how he took it. Perhaps she should wait until they're back in Stormwind before she told him.

Lucian, when he saw that they were all ready to go, gave her a smile and summoned his portal. Norivana couldn't wait to be back; she hadn't seen Aitto in over a week, and she missed the ever living crap out of him.

First went Lucian, then Eko and his kitty, and finally Norivana, and off they went to see the king.


	20. The Return of An Old Friend

**Oh... My goodness. **

**I _really_ hope you all enjoy this chapter, because I legitimately have not slept in over twenty-four hours, and this chapter is my longest one yet!**

**I like to post my chapters, then read them from my phone, because for some reason that's the most effective means of proofreading I have. If you pick up any errors, they'll be fixed within 24 hours. :)**

**Anyways!**

** Review Replies:**

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**Connet: That's pretty much how the king reacted, yeah.. To bad we won't be there to see it in this chapter. ;)**

**Woe the Dead: Huuurrggnng... I have an unnatural level of affection for my characters.. Like they're all my pets. Me with Norivana and Lucian: *Now kith!***

**ForGG: Thanks! :) Yeah, I drew it myself. The actual one is much larger and includes their entire faces, but I thought it'd go perfectly for the story so I updated the picture. **

**Aeschielle-Moonguard: You changed your username! Anyways, ohhhh you're in for a treat then. Everything in due time; lots of Sarion-ass-kicking in this chapter. Also, heck yeah! WoW nerds will take over the world! x)**

**NyteKnight: Yeah, that's who was going through my mind when I described Sarion. Sarion isn't quite as far-gone as Illidan, but he is working up to it. Rather than being a demon-hunter, though, Sarion is actually legitimately possessed by a demon itself, so that makes a difference.  
And yes, I'm hopefully (depending on when the patch comes out, I haven't checked up on that) going to be able to stick with the patches' story line. Garrosh will be final boss, that's inevitable, but it may end up with a different, alternate ending than that of the official story in WoW. :)**

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**Hope you all enjoy. :)**

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As they stepped through the portal, all hell broke loose.

Norivana _thought_ she was the last one through. At least, she did for about ten seconds after they entered it.

It was only when a gigantic pair of clawed hands wrapped around her shoulders and yanked her off her feet to drag her backwards toward the portal that the three of them discovered they had a follower.

Norivana let out a shriek of surprise and fright as the hands didn't relent digging into her armor. Eko's crossbow flew off of her shoulder and clattered onto the ground as Lucian and Eko whipped around at the sound of her scream, and both their eyes almost bulged out of their heads.

Everyone else in the Mage tower was either running in fear or staring on in shock at what was going on, and Eko was surprisingly the first to react and start running toward her, but Lucian stood there almost dumbfounded, staring at the sight before him with a mixture of pain, confusion, and sheer dumb surprise.

Whatever it was that was dragging her was succeeding. She scrabbled around a bit, trying to get a grip on the floor with her feet and trying to free herself from the creature's iron grip, but it was all to no avail. The last thing she saw of Stormwind was Lucian and Eko shouting something and running at her, and then she was back through the portal as it shimmered to nothingness, leaving her - and her kidnapper - falling through thin air toward the desert floor of the Barrens.

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Grumbling incoherent, angry swears under her breath, Norivana paced the ground next to her unconscious captor, trying to figure out what to do.

Sarion, stupid, fel-charged Sarion, had followed her through the portal, yanked her right back into the desert, and tried to take her to Garrosh. How in all of Azeroth he'd found her, she had no idea.

And also, apparently if a portal is fading, it loses its set destination. Because rather than returning back to the cave where Lucian had initially made the portal, they had been thrown about twenty miles out into the desert, and they'd fallen down about ten feet from where the portal was fading high up in the air.

That was probably the strangest thing that had ever happened to her.

Anyways, against a rogue with a brand new set of kickass armor and some killer daggers which surprisingly packed a punch, Sarion should have known that attacking her was a bad idea.

Sarion may have some heightened powers, but he must have forgotten Norivana could torrent his energy because right now, he was unconscious and running on an empty mana and fel pool.

Back when they hit the ground - and before she knew who he was - she had grabbed her daggers and jammed them into both of his hands, causing him to growl loudly and release her, taking the blades with him. She'd then spun around to face him, expecting someone... else. At the sight of the demon-infused elf, she paused only a moment before jumping into action. He was just removing the blades from the backs of his hands and throwing them onto the ground when she vanished suddenly into thin air.

"You don't think that'll work, do you?" Sarion said in a smug voice, and Norivana was shocked at how his voice sounded when she could hear it first-hand. It was as if two people were talking at once: one of them was Sarion and the other one sounded like he'd gargled razor blades and was speaking through a torn, rattling, deep growly voice box. "You know I'm much stronger than you." He began to heal his hands, stitching the skin back together.

_Yeah, well,_ Norivana had thought to herself,_ Strength isn't always a good thing._

She began circling him while he started calling down all sorts of area-of-effect spells, this entire situation giving her a strong wave of déjà vu.

_Ian Strom,_ she grinned to herself, realizing she was in the exact predicament he'd taught her to handle, _You are literally a life saver_.

Her blades were on the ground right next to Sarion, so she knew it'd be a bad idea to grab those just yet. What she needed to do right now was to incapacitate him. To kill him would just be horrible. Even with how he was, it was still technically _her_ fault he was like this in the first place. For him to answer for her mistakes seemed wrong, even if he was a demonic asshole.

As she continued to circle, she stealthily reached into her pack and pulled out a length of dual wiry ropes with a metal handle at each end. She positioned herself about ten or so feet behind him, waiting for a break in his spells, and when the chance presented itself, she leapt.

Wrapping the rope tightly around his neck, she pulled as hard as she could, knowing that to successfully garrote this man would take some serious force. He was almost the size of Lucian, possibly even more muscular, so this was a feat in its own.

He began to struggle against her, and she sensed him start to pull from his mana to start a spell.

"Oh no you don't," Norivana scolded and she let out a vacuuming torrent, successfully draining his energy as well as hindering his spell.

She then jammed her knee into his back and forced him forward onto the ground, all the while still holding the ropes snug around his neck and cutting off his oxygen, but not going so far as to actually break his trachea. She didn't have any healing powers, so if anything serious happened to him she wouldn't be able to do a thing but watch him die.

Every time he tried to pull away from one rope of the garrote, the other would tighten a little tighter around his neck, and Norivana silently sent a praise to the architect of this particular weapon. Sarion's strength was now working against him.

Sarion let out some strangled coughs, quickly losing his strength, and finally, he collapsed completely, going limp and letting his eyes close.

Norivana stayed there a few slow seconds, heart pounding and hands still gripping the garrote tightly. She used her arcane torrent on him a few more times to be sure he wouldn't be able to hurt her with any spells if he did somehow manage to wake up. When she did this she felt herself actually absorbing the fel energy too, which made her grimace. Goodbye silver eyes, hello green.

When she was sure he actually was unconscious, she eased up the ropes and retrieved her daggers, wiping the blood off onto a large stone before sheathing them again.

And thus began her pacing.

She knew what she needed to do: She needed to take him to Stormwind. With enough help, especially if the Paladin Draenei Vindicators helped purify him, (despite the fact that those creatures were a bit vengeance-crazed), Sarion could be back to normal eventually.

If all else failed, Aitto could give him constant treatments and _hopefully_ fix him.

But she had one problem: Sarion was heavy, and she had no mount.

She continued pacing, mulling over her possibilities and dousing each one with the reasons why it wouldn't work. She couldn't just... drag him. He was much too heavy and doing so would take way too long. She couldn't go into Orgrimmar for assistance, because, well, you know.

There was only one thing she could think of that could possibly work: she had to wake him and take him back conscious.

Grimacing at that thought, Norivana finally came to a decision and began binding his hands probably a bit too-tightly behind his back. She took all of his weapons, trinkets, anything that could somehow aid him in escaping or regaining mana for spells, along with his pack of supplies. She removed all of his armor, leaving him in just a plain thin tunic and trousers, not even giving him the benefit of shoes. Anything to weaken him enough to make him comply was a must at this point.

She took a step back and inspected her work, pleased with it all. She'd transformed him from a terrifying creature to a dinky night elf with horns and claws.

Having no need for his armor, she tossed it away. It was probably much too tainted for safety, and she didn't want to risk anything, so she left it on the hard desert ground.

Turning him over, she looked at him again, and seeing him so calmly sleeping, she got a glimpse of the real Sarion. She could now pick up the similarities between his appearance and Unaril's, with his constant smiling lips and youthful complexion. He actually had a pleasant face in the absence of his constant scowl, a flash of innocence amidst the corruption.

This, for some reason, made a lump form in her throat, and her sympathy toward him suddenly increased tenfold. He hadn't asked for any of this, this corruption and evil, but it had consumed him. Although he might seem cruel and ruthless on the outside, there had to still be the true Sarion underneath, trying to claw his way back to the surface. Norivana wouldn't let herself think otherwise, because that would mean there was no hope, and hope was the only thing she was holding onto with him.

She did her best to drag him a ways, pulling him by his shoulders and then letting him flop back down once she'd cleared him from the area, far enough away from where they'd landed that if he woke, he'd at least be caught off-guard by his unfamiliar surroundings.

Glancing over the horizon toward where she believed Orgrimmar was hidden behind mountains, she saw the sun finally setting, leaving them both in a dusky haze.

Lucian was probably having a fit. Even if he ever did manage to eventually reach Orgrimmar, she was no longer there and there was no trace of neither Norivana nor Sarion at the cave.

She was alone with a demon, and no one knew where she was.

Great.

With a sigh, she re-checked Sarion's bindings to make sure that when she woke him, he wouldn't be able to escape. She wrapped another length of rope around his wrists, tying it tight and letting it string off as an almost leash for him.

And then, taking a deep breath to steel herself, Norivana woke him by shaking him violently, then slapping him in the face and causing him to jolt awake and take a raspy, wheezing breath.

He sputtered for a moment, jerking his arms to free himself, but when that proved impossible he tried standing up.

"Chill," Norivana ordered him, yanking the rope and causing him to stumble and fall back down. "I need to set some ground rules here."

He glared up at her, his eyes burning with anger, "You will pay for this," he muttered.

"For saving you from your inevitable death?" Norivana raised her brows, "You know Garrosh would kill you once he was done with you, don't you?"

Sarion scoffed, shifting so he was sitting slightly more comfortably, at least as comfortable as a person can get when they've got their hands tied behind their back.

"I'd like to see him try," he chuckled darkly, "He's afraid of me."

"Garrosh doesn't even know the meaning of the word," Norivana retorted, "To say he's afraid is outlandish."

"You don't know what goes on behind closed doors," Sarion returned to a stricter tone, "He is most definitely _afraid_." He emphasized, the corners of his mouth starting to smirk again.

"I..." Norivana's mind began whirling. What in the world had Sarion done to scare Garrosh into submission? She shook her head, trying to redeem her confusion and changing the subject, "I don't care. Doesn't matter. I'm taking you with me."

Sarion sat there, unmoving, and he cocked his head. "Are you now? And how do you suppose you'll do that?" His eyes flickered their green, and he watched her with a humored expression.

"By any means necessary," she replied, yanking on the rope and trying to get him to stand up, but he wouldn't budge.

Ugh. She hadn't thought this far into it, hadn't anticipated the fact that he may not actually _comply_ with her plan. Dragging him around when he was unconscious was one thing, but there was no way she'd manage to pull him if he was trying just as hard to fight back.

He burst out laughing, the sound grating and cruel. "You are so far out of your league, Sunstepper."

She stopped pulling on the rope and glared at him, "Out of my league?" She scoffed, "Says the man who's currently got his hands tied behind his back."

He clenched his jaw, squinting his eyes a little. That must've touched a nerve, because he stood suddenly. "I could squash you like a bug," he threatened, his voice sending chills up Norivana's spine.

She held her ground and laughed. "I'm still alive, aren't I? You really need to think up some better threats."

His tattooed shoulders and arms flexed violently against their restraints, and he took a step toward her. She responded by unsheathing her daggers and holding them up warningly, and he paused.

"These are my new pets," she glanced at her daggers, "You've already met them, haven't you?" She clicked her tongue at his tied hands, which both held red scars in the places where she'd jammed the knives in, "I don't think they like you much."

He stared at her like she'd gone insane. Honestly, she sort of did, but that was beside the point. "They're not alive," he said simply.

Norivana began to laugh but caught herself. His corruption must have completely canceled out his sense of imagination.

"I'm going to take you with me," she began and he opened his mouth to retort, but she interrupted him, "And if you don't comply, you'll have these to answer to." She waved her silver blades around lightly.

He glared at her but she could see a trace of fear behind it.

_Good,_ she thought, _at least he feels something_.

She re-sheathed the knives and yanked on his rope again, pushing him to walk in front of her.

"Alright," she mumbled, "We need to go north. And seeing where the sun set..." she turned both of them toward the northern side of the desert, "This way."

Sarion cracked the vertebrae in his neck before reluctantly obeying, shuffling forward at a slow pace.

She nudged him in the back with the point of one of her daggers, "Faster. I want to be in Ashenvale before tomorrow."

He sped up just barely, but that was enough for Norivana. At least he was going the right way.

After nearly three hours of walking through the desert, Norivana knew her wish to be in Ashenvale before morning would not be granted. It was pitch black out save a very, very faint moon, and Norivana began to worry that she was straying off-course. Her thoughts were confirmed when lo and behold, she ran directly into what she quickly discovered was a large jungle tree.

She heard Sarion begin chuckling, and she grimaced. What the hell? This was a desert, not a jungle, and she was entirely positive she'd been heading north, maybe only slightly straying a bit to the left due to the fact that she veered widely around the crossroads.

Sarion still hadn't stopped laughing at her, and she shook her head, annoyed, but she wouldn't let him get to her. She knew that's what he was trying to do, so she smirked and waived off the embarrassment of her encounter with the tree.

Knowing that she'd have no hope of getting onto the right course until she had some decent light to work with, she resolved to camp here for the night.

She dragged Sarion over to the tree she'd discovered and wrapped the rope tightly around it, binding him to the tree. He sat down cross-legged, leaning back against the trunk. He looked quite uncomfortable, especially with his arms tied like that, but Norivana didn't care. As long as he stayed securely tied, he could be hanging upside-down for all it mattered.

She inspected the area for a while, mostly relying on feeling rather than sight, and realized that it appeared to be an oasis, not an actual jungle. She'd never actually been out here in the wild Barrens before, so nothing was familiar, but she'd heard about the few oases that existed here and it wasn't as much of a surprise.

After she confirmed that the area was clear of any danger, she scouted about for sticks and logs to make a small fire. It'd take care of the cursed bugs that were buzzing around her and biting, for one thing, and it'd also provide warmth for when the night turned cold.

Soon she had a good armful and carried it back to where Sarion was, placing the sticks artfully in a circle and lighting them with a match from her pack. The flames ate up the small twigs, and she continued to add larger and larger pieces until she had a healthy fire, crackling and spitting sparks.

Satisfied with her work, she sat back and stared at the flames for a little while, willing herself to feel tired so that she could sleep. She glanced at Sarion over on the other side of the fire, and she saw that his green eyes were staring straight at her and he was frowning, but other than that was completely relaxed.

"What?" she asked him, feeling slightly awkward and a little bit creeped out.

He didn't say anything, nor did it appear he'd even heard her, so she rolled her eyes and shook her head, clearing a space to sleep.

His voice suddenly made her jump. "Why haven't you killed me?" he asked.

"Because deep down, I know Sarion's still in there," she answered with a sigh and then lied down on her makeshift bed of dried palm leaves.

"Sarion is dead," he replied, his voice sounding almost angry, "Done for. Gone. Don't think you can somehow bring him back, and don't even think about calling me by that name."

Norivana rolled over to face away from him, trying not to listen. Anything he said right now was one hundred percent demon. Sarion was in there somewhere. He had to be. If not, she had no hope.

A long silence passed, and Norivana almost managed to fall asleep if not for him interrupting.

"It's all pointless, you know," he began, and Norivana let out an annoyed sigh.

"What is?" she asked, still not looking at him.

"Everything you're doing. You, the Horde, the Alliance, all of it."

Finally Norivana was fully awake again and she grumbled under her breath for a moment before sitting up and facing him. He hadn't moved an inch. "What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"I know why you came to Orgrimmar. It was to find out what Garrosh is doing, no?"

"Doesn't matter," Norivana retorted, "I got what I came for."

"Ah," he nodded, "The Troll emissary... I thought he'd be trouble." A moment passed. "You have no idea what you're up against. Not yet, that is. And by the time you do find out what Garrosh has planned, it'll be too late." He then shifted in place, getting a little more comfortable. "And I will be the one sitting back, watching both sides obliterate each other, laying low until it's _my_ time to strike. I've got plans," he raised his brows, smiling a dark smile.

"Do you now?" Norivana almost mocked him, rolling her eyes and lying back down. " I take it these plans involve somehow destroying life as we know it?" Sarion was getting all power-hungry, but it was an absurd thought, seeing as he was currently tied up to a tree.

Sarion just laughed, "More or less."

Ugh. Enough of this ridiculous conversation. Norivana scrunched her eyes shut again, forcing herself to fall asleep to the sounds of the crackling fire.

* * *

The early morning sun woke Norivana before it had even begun to light the tops of the mountains in the east. She glanced around, finally getting a good look at where she was.

It was actually a very small oasis, with two tiny pools in the center and about fifty trees total, most of which hadn't even sprouted to a full height. Off in the distance on the other side of the oasis, she saw a herd of giraffes plodding along through the desert, and to the other side, way off on the horizon, she could see the crossroads still.

The morning was peaceful and quiet and cool, and she rumMaged in her pack and pulled out a water skin and some jerkey, downing both quickly before getting up to rouse Sarion.

"Sarion," she called, starting to reach her hand out.

He jerked awake almost before she even touched him, glancing around in bewilderment until recognition washed over his face and he relaxed a bit.

"Rise and shine," Norivana mumbled, swinging her pack over her shoulder and beginning to untie the rope from the tree.

Sarion yawned widely, a very... non-demonic action that seemed strange to Norivana and she snorted loudly, as it had struck her funny.

He glanced up at her, giving her an almost innocent look, "What?"

She was so surprised that he wasn't being his usual dickwad demonic self that she gaped her mouth open like a fish for a moment. He laughed aloud, and for the first time it didn't sound cruel when he did so.

"Why are you so happy?" she asked him, willing herself not to smile at him in case the demon viewed it as a weakness.

"I'm not," he replied, "And I'm not angry either. This is just the first decent rest I've gotten in weeks."

"How come you haven't been able to sleep?" she asked him, pulling at the rope for him to stand.

He grunted as he stood, stretching out his legs and wincing when he moved his arms, which _had_ to be feeling pretty stiff by now. Norivana wanted to remove his bindings, but she was still hesitant. They'd get to Astranaar soon enough, in which she would have to take them off anyways for them to take a gryphon.

"I just can't," he replied nonchalantly, "It's strange I managed to do so last night."

Norivana thought of that as an almost glimmer of hope. Did this mean maybe his corruption was diminishing? Maybe the demon was losing its grip? If he hadn't been able to sleep since he'd been corrupted, and now he could, maybe this was a good sign.

"Sarion..." she began, then trailed off, remembering the lash-out he'd exhibited when she'd called him that last time.

"Hmm?" he hummed, kicking a pebble away with his bare foot as they began walking.

Again Norivana was caught off-guard. Last night he'd disowned the name. Right now, he was fine.

This was all giving her some serious whiplash.

She clamped her mouth shut and they kept walking for a while. After about fifteen minutes, Sarion began complaining about his arms.

"I think my hands have lost circulation," he kept whining at her, and she was getting ridiculously annoyed but she didn't ease up.

"Damn it, woman," he growled, continuing his complaints, "This is ridiculous."

After she said nothing for a while longer, he persisted.

"I swear, at least let me shake my arms out for a minute before they fall off," he groaned at her, and she finally stopped in her tracks.

"Fine," she glowered, and a look of relief washed over his face.

"Thank you," he breathed as she began untying the ropes on his wrist.

"Don't try anything funny," she warned him, and he shook his horned head in consent as she continued, "You know I can hurt you."

"What could I possibly do? My reservoir is dried so I can't perform spells, and my blasted arms are useless," he reasoned with her as she got the final tie undone, and he groaned loudly as his arms fell to his sides. He rolled his shoulders slowly, flexing his fingers and stretching out his arms in front of himself, cursing under his breath all the while.

"Ow," he finally said, grimacing. He shook out his arms a little more, "Okay, I have a proposition."

Norivana sighed. "What."

"I solemnly swear that I will not pull any moves to escape, attack, or do anything that can inconvenience this escort in any way, as long as you don't tie me up again."

"Now why would I do that?" Norivana asked him, reaching out to grab his wrists again, deciding he'd been free long enough.

He dodged away, but other than that didn't make a move. "Honestly," he said, holding up his sore hands, which had dark red rope burns around both wrists, "I swear on my life."

"I don't make deals with demons," Norivana retorted, reaching out again.

"Make an exception," he dodged again, making Norivana set her jaw and get annoyed.

"Sarion," she scolded angrily, "Seriously. I want to get back to Stormwind within a week."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, but he masked it after a split-second. "I have a way you can make it there within an hour."

She scoffed, "Oh really?" She wasn't convinced. "How?"

"Give me my bag," he requested, reaching out, but she stepped back.

"Back off," she warned, "What do you need from your bag?"

He held up his hands in defeat, "There's a silver item in there; a whistle. Use it and you'll understand."

She gave him one last warning look before looking in his pack, and indeed there was a silver whistle in one of the pockets. She pulled it out.

"This one?"

He nodded fervently, "Yes. Use it."

"Not until I tie you back up," she replied, recognizing this as a proto-drake whistle and understanding the risk of allowing Sarion near his mount with no means of restraint. He could hop on the creature and fly away if he wasn't tied up.

He grimaced. "At least tie my hands in front?"

Norivana obliged, to his apparent relief, and after she was sure he was secure, she blew the whistle.

Nothing happened, so she did it again, this time a little more intense, but still no sound came out and nothing appeared.

When she did it a third time, Sarion barked loudly, "Stop! Just wait!"

She watched the skies expectantly, and then to both of their delight, the gigantic dragon showed up from the east, flying swiftly through the sky down toward them. It landed in a thunderous boom, let out a deafening roar, and then calmed.

Sarion looked upon the dragon with pride, then gave Norivana an out-of-character wink before approaching the creature. Norivana held onto the rope that was attached to Sarion's wrists, making sure that he wouldn't jump on and leave without her by attaching the other end firmly onto her own belt.

When he reached up to pull himself onto the saddle, Norivana stopped him.

"I go first," she ordered and he understood why, allowing her to climb on before him.

The saddle was easily large enough for both of them, as she was small enough to fit as well, and he easily sat down behind her.

"How do I make it fly?" she asked, and Sarion snorted a laugh, then barked out one simple word, and the drake was immediately airborne. Norivana gripped the reins tightly, staying balanced while the drake began flying northward extremely fast, the ground beneath them a blur.

"Much better, yeah?" Sarion shouted as the wind whipped through Norivana's ears, almost pulling her hood off her head.

"Definitely!" she replied gleefully, almost forgetting the fact that she was transporting a demon hostage and letting herself enjoy the moment.

She was surprised at her hostage, honestly. This whole morning, Sarion had for the most part been perfectly compliant, doing everything she said without so much as a slight protest. He had so far held true to every promise he made. He was acting the absolute opposite of how he was the night before, that was for sure.

Norivana could only hope that this 'new him' was a permanent thing, and she silently pleaded that her suspicions were true, that he really was somehow losing the corruption. The only explanation she could think of was the fact that she'd drained him with her arcane torrent, but that sounded a little too simple.

It was something, though, so she held onto it.

It wasn't long before they reached Astranaar, but instead of landing there, Norivana altered course and continued the flight straight to Teldrassil. This drake was fast, and in the long run, the trip would be shorter if they flew straight there.

Sarion seemed perfectly fine, which was starting to put Norivana on edge. There was no way he had completely gotten rid of the corruption, because his eyes still glowed that fel green and he still had that strange second tone in his voice whenever he spoke, which she had no doubt was a result of the demon. So he must have some sort of ulterior motive, something he wasn't telling her.

It was either that or he was completely willing to go into Stormwind and be rid of the demon.

The latter was much too good to be true.

After nearly an hour, just like Sarion had promised, they arrived in Rut'theran village, where Sarion apparently knew exactly what to do. He dismounted hastily and pulled Norivana with him after dismissing his dragon. She let him lead her through that pink, foggy portal and into the city, and then he turned a sharp right on the first available road, which led to what looked like a temple of sorts.

Inside the temple, Norivana saw all sorts of various portals and whatnot, and the area was filled with Mages and spellcasters of various classes.

Sarion then walked up to a particularly burly Mage, then glanced at Norivana.

"Get out some money," he requested before beckoning the Mage's attention.

The man turned and seemed to nearly collapse in fright at the sight of the two of them; one a half-demon and the other a Blood Elf. But he looked at them both expectantly, and Norivana pulled a satchel of coins from Sarion's bag.

She spoke up, "I'd like to purchase a portal to Stormwind," she said simply, and the Mage nodded feebly as Norivana placed approximately fifty silver pieces into the Mage's hand.

"Prisoner transport?" the Mage asked her hesitantly, and Norivana decided to just go with it. Technically, it was true.

"Yep. Taking him straight to the king."

The Mage nodded slowly, eyeing the two of them, but then relented and began to summon a portal.

Before long, Norivana and Sarion had entered the new portal and were back in the Mage tower in Stormwind.

This trip had suddenly proven a whole lot easier, and Norivana couldn't tell if it was by sheer dumb luck or what, but she wasn't complaining. She'd expected to have to walk all the way to Astranaar, purchase a taxi to Rut'Theran, and take a ship (which could take up to a week to reach Stormwind). But she had somehow ended up back in the city within less than twenty-four hours of travel, and to her surprise, it was all thanks to her prisoner.

"Sarion," Norivana began as she pulled him along beside her by the rope, down the ramp of the Mage tower.

"Yes?" he responded, again not reacting to her use of his name.

"Why did you help me?" she asked, "Why did you make this all so easy?"

He smirked to himself, "I have my reasons."

"Whatever they are, they're ridiculously convenient..." Norivana mumbled as she reached the base of the ramp, stepping into the soft grass.

"You taking me to the King then?" he asked in a light tone.

"I'm not sure," Norivana replied. It was true; she had no idea what she was supposed to do with him now.

First thing was first, though. She had to find Lucian. He would know exactly what to do. She could only hope he hadn't attempted to go into Orgrimmar to find her, though. Gods only know when he would return if that happened.

They swiftly made their way through the city, avoiding the more popular streets and taking as many back alleys as they could to avoid conflict. Sarion was a pretty terrifying-looking guy, and all it took was one zealot to ruin the whole thing.

Rather than taking him to the King, though, Norivana took him to the rest of their tribe. He followed her without complaint as she led him through the forest and back to the new tribe home.

It had changed a lot since she last saw it. The entire area was covered in flora and fauna, teeming with life, a definite contrast to the bland sparse forest that had once been there. The main tree had actually gotten larger, and surrounding it was an army of wisp spirits, who seemed to be building onto the structure, adding terraces and windows and all sorts of extras. They also were building something down beside the tree, what she now knew to be a moonwell, and it looked almost finished.

The Druids all seemed very busy, running to and fro in order to continue building their home. All the surrounding trees had also grown taller and had become thicker in the tops, almost completely blocking out the sun and making it seem as if the forest was in a perpetual night.

Somehow, these Druids had managed to recreate part of Ashenvale within the forests of Stormwind.

None of them noticed her until she and Sarion had made their way fairly far into the camp, when suddenly one young woman gasped loudly and dropped a woven basket of freshly-caught fish from her arms, letting them topple out onto the flowery ground.

The elf woman stared at Sarion, silver eyes bugging out, and she looked like she was about to cry.

"Sarion!" she almost shrieked, "What's happened to you?!"

Sarion seemed perfectly unfazed, and he smirked almost playfully, raising his hand to his horned forehead in a mock salute that ended up with an over-exaggerated flick of the wrist.

"I'm baaaaack!" he seemed almost teasing, using an excessive amount of joy in his words but ending on an almost sarcastic tone.

This definitely didn't help, seeing as his voice was so changed, and the woman then clamped a hand to her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief.

Many of the other nearby Druids, at the first woman's sounds of surprise, had also stopped and begun staring on in mixtures of horror, confusion, happiness, sadness, and really anything in between. Happy that he was alive and standing there, and horrified that he was... well.. that he was what he was.

Norivana heard an almost painfully familiar voice to her left and glanced over through the trees to see Aitto walking alongside a young elf, talking to him in light tones and carrying an enormous armful of large rocks toward the moonwell. Her heart leapt for joy and it was all she could do to keep from squealing and sprinting over to him in excitement.

But she was still currently tied to her captive, so she just grinned widely.

"Aitto!" she called out, and his big fuzzy head whipped up abruptly, his green eyes widening. He all but dropped what he was doing and swiftly jogged over to her, only glancing once at Sarion before wrapping his gigantic arms around her in a massive hug, lifting her off the ground like a ragdoll and laughing.

"What the hell, 'Vana?!" he laughed loudly, "You told me you'd be gone a week! You're days late. Better have a damned good explanation!"

"Can't... breathe..." Norivana gritted out, and when she was sure she'd never breathe another lungful of air again, he finally set her back down onto the ground and she teetered for a second, gasping before retaining her balance.

"Thanks, I missed you too," she chuckled back, grinning ear-to-ear. She hadn't let herself miss him all that much until now, and it was hitting her in waves.

"I like the new armor," he inspected it, "Hood especially. You look somewhat frightening, honestly."

"Lucian got it for me," she grinned back, "And it has definitely proven its worth." She pointed at the deep claw marks in the leather from when Sarion had yanked her through the portal. To her right she saw Sarion grin almost wickedly in her peripherals.

"What happened?" Aitto asked her, and she rolled her eyes.

"He happened," she pointed at Sarion.

Now Aitto finally paid attention to the corrupt elf, and his eyes squinted concernedly, his brow tightening in what almost looked like anger.

"You look like Hell just ate you and threw you back up," Aitto almost growled at the elf, "Glad you decided to return."

Sarion gave him a smug look while Norivana spoke up.

"Not by his choice," she commented, "...Well, not at first, anyways."

"She stabbed me," Sarion fake-pouted, holding up his still-bound hands, which even now sported the angry red scars from where her knives had been planted. "Now I have no chance whatsoever of fulfilling my life-long dream as a hand model. Al thanks to her."

He pouted again, and Norivana couldn't tell if he was serious or not. "Dream-killer," he accused her.

Norivana refrained from laughing, even though Sarion was acting unreasonably quirky right now. Really, anything was better than his evil, serious, wicked demon side. His impish, teasing, spiteful demon side was an improvement in her opinion, even if he was a little bit offensive.

"I'm sure she had more than enough reason to do so," Aitto's voice was rumbly and comforting, making Norivana feel at home despite the stress she was feeling about not knowing Lucian's whereabouts and not knowing what to do with this demon.

"Do you know where Lucian is?" Norivana asked Aitto, and he shook his head.

"I haven't seen him since he went to see the king a few days ago."

"I need to find him..." Norivana mumbled, wondering where to store her live cargo in the meantime while she searched for Lucian. "Can you restrain him for me?" Norivana asked Aitto pleadingly, "Just watch him and make sure he doesn't try to do anything funny or escape or anything."

Aitto nodded, "Of course," he then fixed a glare on Sarion while she untied the rope from her belt and handed it to her Tauren.

"Tie him around a tree or something," she waved a hand toward the forest, and Sarion chuckled darkly.

"You like to do that, don't you?" he mumbled as Aitto tugged the rope a little harder than was necessary, yanking Sarion to follow behind him.

"I'll be back soon," Norivana told Aitto before she headed out of the forest and back toward the keep. If Lucian wasn't with his tribe, she had to hope he was with the king. Because if he wasn't she had no idea where to look.

* * *

Norivana was walking up the long ramp of the inside of the keep, having just placed her weapons back into the possession of the same guard who'd complimented them last time. He'd recognized her and almost seemed happy to see her and her daggers, at which he continued to grin even after she headed up the ramp.

To her delight, she heard a familiar voice reach her ears as she neared the top of the ramp. It was Eko, and it sounded like he was telling a story or something, the way he was speaking in such an even, constant tone. If Eko was here, there was a good chance that Lucian was, too.

She followed the direction of the voice and discovered that it was coming from the same small room that she had met with the king in last time.

A guard was stationed outside the room, which had the door closed and was only providing just enough sound for her to recognize Eko's voice, but not understand what he was saying.

The heavily-armored guard held up a hand to her, "Halt," he ordered her, his voice strict and commanding, "No entry allowed."

Norivana opened her mouth to explain, but he interrupted her, "I said, no entry."

"But I-" Norivana began again, wanting to explain that she was in on this meeting, that she knew Eko and that she was back from a mission from the king, but the guard quickly unsheathed a gigantic, sharp sword and held the tip straight out at her, placing it just under chin.

"I don't give a damn what you've got to say, Blood Elf," he raised his voice a little, sounding threatening, "You need to leave."

She stepped back a little but still pressed the matter. "I was just wondering if you've seen my friend Lucian."

"What did I say?" the guard started growling, and Norivana regretted having ignored his first warning.

"I..." she stepped back a few more steps, eyeing his sword warily.

"Get. Away. From. The door." When she was far enough away, he waved his sword artfully in a strange figure-eight before replacing it back in its sheath.

Norivana slumped her shoulders and walked to the other side of the throne room, sitting down on the stone floor and leaning her back against the wall. If this was a meeting, it'd be over eventually, one way or another.

And hopefully, Lucian was in there too.

* * *

The sun had probably almost made its way across the sky by the time the door to that stupid secret room finally opened, to Norivana's annoyed relief.

She heard voices carrying out into the throne room.

"If that's what Garrosh has planned, I'll be damned if I let it happen," King Varian's voice echoed through the large hall.

"Promise me ya will think about what Vol'jin said," Eko responded, and the king, now in view, nodded.

"If this situation reaches the point Vol'jin has predicted, I don't think I will have any other choice," he replied.

Eko exited the room and bowed respectfully, "Vol'jin sends his friendly regards, as do I, Ya Majesty."

A few other people exited the room, all of them unfamiliar, and Norivana began to lose hope that Lucian was here.

"Thank you for your compliance and for supplying the Alliance with your invaluable knowledge, Master Eko," Varian nodded once back at him, "I am forever in your and your people's debt."

"If Vol'jin's plans be a success," Eko began, "Ya debt will be obsolete."

Eko then turned to go, finally looking in Norivana's direction and stopping in his tracks.

"Ya alive!" he exclaimed incredulously. "How'd ya get back?"

Norivana stood, looking around for Lucian, "It's a long story. Where's Lucian?"

Eko glanced back toward the other room, "He be in there. But be wary, Elfie, he don't be in the best of moods." He began to walk again and then stopped and looked at her, "Glad to know ya not dead," he smiled at her through his tusks.

Norivana laughed a little, "You too, I guess."

She jogged across the throne room, completely forgetting the etiquette that was appropriate when in the presence of a king, and passed the guard she'd encountered earlier, sending him a scathing look before entering the small room.

Lucian was sitting alone in there, facing away from her with his hand bracing his forehead, hunched over and leaning against the table. He held himself like he was utterly exhausted, upset, and depressed. Eko was right; he did not look like he was doing so well.

"Lucian?" she said quietly, walking around the table to approach him.

His head jerked up and he turned, saw her, and the next thing she knew, she was somehow suddenly in his arms with her lips firmly connected with his.

This was quite frankly the best greeting she'd ever received. It left her previous reunion with Aitto in the dust, and for a while, all she could think about was that Lucian was here, and she felt safe, secure, and to be honest with herself, a bit giddy.

He finally relented and pulled away, placing his hands on the sides of her face, "Norivana I thought you were dead!" He said in an almost whisper before planting another quick, relieved, urgent kiss.

"N-nope!" Norivana stuttered after her lips were freed, grinning dumbly, "I'm still one-hundred-percent lean mean fighting machine."

Had she really just said that? Seriously? She scolded herself internally. Lucian had a strange way of scattering her more intelligent thoughts...

Lucian grinned at her, pulling her into a tight hug. Apparently all of his negativity she'd seen earlier had vanished with his discovery of her survival, which sort of made her feel bad. He'd been all torn up and depressed because of her? Why is it that she's somehow found a way to sabotage every good thing in this man's life?

Now was not the time for those thoughts, though. She had a much more important matter to press.

She gave him one last squeezing hug before pulling back. "Lucian, I brought Sarion back with me."

Lucian froze at these words, his whole body tensing. "Is he..." he almost choked, "Is he alive?"

"He's very, very much alive," she replied, laughing as she spoke, "And he's also an asshole."

Placing a hand on his head in a mixture of both relief and upset, Lucian clenched his jaw and tightened his brow. "How in the world did you manage to get him here?"

"Well, I had to stab him in the hands and strangle him, then tie him to a tree overnight and drag him for about fifteen miles on foot before he finally complied and allowed me to fly his proto-drake to Teldrassil and take him Stormwind without further resistance."

Lucian blinked his honey-glowing eyes at her a few times in shock, then let a smile creep onto his face, flashing sharp white teeth in a chuckle, "With anyone else, I wouldn't have believed that story..."

"Whelllp," Norivana half-talked, half-sighed, "It did happen, and I feel perfectly justified with my actions."

"And you should," Lucian chuckled placing a hand on her back to motion for her to accompany him out of the keep, "Let's go figure out what to do with him then."

"Good plan," she smirked, letting him lead her, and they exited the keep to seek out the demonic elf.

* * *

Norivana stood about ten feet away from the men, trying to wrap her mind around what was going on.

Aitto, Lucian, and Eko were all standing around Sarion, who was sitting, tied to the base of a tree. But that wasn't the weird part.

The weird part was that the three of them were all buddied up together, trading inside jokes and playful shoves, as if they'd known each other all their lives.

They'd known Eko for less than two days, which was absolutely _not_ enough time to create a legitimate friendship like this. Was it? Is this how guys are? If you like each other, you're automatically best friends?

That'd certainly make for a much simpler world, that's for sure.

Norivana just sort of stared in confusion, trying to pay attention to what was going on despite the men's weird, unexpected bonding rituals.

Lucian said something to Sarion, who snorted loudly and shook his horned head, curling one corner of his lip in response.

Aitto then took a step back and repeated a spell he'd performed at least four times already, an attempt to purge the corruption from Sarion's mind and flesh.

Sarion stiffened, the same way he'd done the last four times, wrenching his eyes shut and clenching his jaw tightly. When Aitto's spell ceased, Sarion came to a shuddering stop, baring his sharp fangs and growling something in a tongue that sounded demonic.

Eko and Lucian shared concerned looks for a moment before Lucian cast another spell onto Sarion, one that seemed to whirl around him in a shiny, swirly mass, trying to draw the corruption out in that way, but it wasn't working.

Whatever Sarion's mood had been when they arrived, it had all but evaporated when Aitto started trying to cleanse him.

Now, Sarion was an angry, wrathful demon, just like he'd been that first night.

Suddenly, Norivana had an idea. She wasn't sure if they were actually related facts, but she did know that when she used her arcane torrent on him that one time, he'd eventually mellowed out. Perhaps if she used it a _lot_, it'd draw enough of the fel energy out that Aitto could purify him.

It was a stretch, but at least it was something. It was either exorcise this man or kill him, according to the king's orders.

Norivana approached the men, who all looked somewhat deep in thought, trying to come up with a plan.

"I'm going to try something," she announced, pushing her way in between them. She knelt down in front of Sarion, and his green eyes followed her. His skin had a layer of sheen sweat, and he looked like he'd just been through a wringer, the way his eyes drooped and his mouth was twisted in an exhausted frown.

She told the three men behind her to step back away so that she didn't catch them in the crossfire, and then worked her magic. Or rather, drained the magic.

Sarion tensed at the torrent, as if doing so would somehow keep it from working correctly.

But it worked, and Norivana could feel the fel energy leaving him and joining her instead. And as a Blood Elf, she was more-or-less immune to it, so that wasn't an issue.

Lucian immediately understood. "That's brilliant," he said in surprise, "I never would have thought of that."

Norivana gathered up her energy again and used the spell again, draining even more of Sarion's energy. She could probably go at this for a _long_ time, seeing as he had more-or-less an entire demon inhabiting his body, but she could tell it was both weakening and enraging the demon, because Sarion's eyes flashed angrily each time.

And to confirm this, Aitto visibly shuddered and spoke up behind her. "Be careful, Norivana. That's one _angry_ elf."

She took a deep breath and continued this for who knows how long, repeating the spell every ten seconds or so and each time letting it pull at her own strength as well. She felt exhausted, drained, utterly and completely sapped by the time she finally relented. She'd never felt so tired in her life, and yet she still somehow managed to stay upright.

Her head began pounding though, and she knew it was probably from a mix of the usage of that spell more times than she'd ever done in her entire life, and the fact that she was probably overdosing on fel energy. Last time she'd gotten too much of a dose of the magic, it'd affected her sort of the same as a sugar crash, where it makes the body feel sluggish and slow, and addles the brain.

Sarion looked even worse than she felt, and she felt a twinge of sympathy for him. At least, for the _real_ Sarion.

She finally stood, backing up slowly, and leaned against Lucian for support.

"Aitto," she sighed, trying to keep her knees from collapsing beneath her, and Lucian resolved this by holding her up as she spoke, "Your turn."

"Alright, Sarion, it's now or never," Aitto grumbled, cracking his knuckles and taking a deep breath, closing his eyes in an attempt to focus fully on his task.

Before Aitto began, Lucian spoke up, "Perhaps if we both purify him at the same time now, it might be the extra kick we're needing."

Aitto nodded in an enthusiastic agreement, so Lucian passed an almost-limp Norivana off to Eko and joined Aitto in his pre-spell meditation.

Then, on a countdown, both men summoned the most intense purifying spells Norivana had ever seen in her life.

It _could_ have been her mind playing tricks on her, but she highly doubted that. Both Aitto and Lucian looked extremely concentrated in their work, sending intensely-bright rays of light and energy straight into Sarion's chest, illuminating Sarion's entire body and causing him to arch almost unnaturally against the assault.

Sarion's demonic voice ripped out through the air as he continued to writhe, "You pathetic, weak filth! I will crush you with my bare hands! I will rip the flesh from your bones, tear you limb-from-limb!" he roared loudly. "You dare defy me? YOU DARE DEFY ME? YOU WILL PERISH BENEATH MY MIGHT! FOOLS, ALL OF YOU!"

He was then cut off and let out an almost strangled choking gargle as Aitto growled under his breath, which turned into a crescendo yell, and he intensified the spell somehow, strengthening the bolt of pure light energy as it fought against the dark corruption harboring within the elf.

Norivana stared on in horror as both Aitto and Lucian fought against what was now a growing entity completely apart from Sarion. It had separated from its host, leaving Sarion completely unconscious and limp at the base of the tree, and was now a massive, physical demon, roaring loudly and fighting against the attacks from Lucian and Aitto. They'd obviously not expected this to happen, but were sure willing to fight against it.

It looked like a giant, translucent, hellish version of Sarion but had full cloven hooves, larger horns, a set of bat-like wings, and its entire body was covered in a greenish, grey hue. Its eyes were nothing but void, empty slots, and its mouth held a colossal set of razor-sharp serrated teeth that were so numerous that it was almost impossible for the creature to actually shut its jaws.

Eko pulled Norivana back away with him hastily, placing her against the support of a convenient tree, seeing as she was still almost too weakened to stay conscious, while he let out a shout and went to join the other two men, shooting fire-laced arrows into the core of the creature, which roared a deafening roar and grew even larger, now almost three times the height of the men fighting it.

Elves from the surrounding area saw what was happening and a few of them began sending assaults at the demon, plaguing it with the full forces of nature, while others ran back to the main crowd for help.

Within about twenty seconds, there was a considerably large crowd fighting the gigantic, evil creature, all of them tribal Druids but Eko and Aitto.

The demon roared again, "YOU THINK YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME?" he almost screeched, but it was obvious that the people's attacks were working, as his rounds were becoming slower, less powerful, and a little more strained.

Lucian let out a loud yell and sent a continuous torrent of bursting moonlight straight into the heart of the enemy, which resulted in a thunderous crackle and caused the creature to bellow out a long string of demonic threats, which continued to become more and more faint as the Druids continued their relentless attacks from all sides.

With one final definitive move, Lucian and Aitto somehow coordinated their attacks as they both used everything they had left, both of them letting out intense roars to fuel their power, pummeling the creature with every single spell they had. After one last gurgling screech, the demon fell, slamming into the ground in a thundering collision, finally dead.

Lucian collapsed onto his knees, breathing heavily, looking both exhausted and relieved. Aitto stumbled backwards and braced himself on the trunk of a tree, taking deep breaths.

The other surrounding elves also looked around at each other with wide eyes, obviously extremely confused as to how the heck a demon ended up in their forest, but when they saw Sarion lying unconscious, they understood.

Norivana finally gathered the strength to walk over next to Lucian and she also knelt down, sitting on her knees beside him in the grass.

He was still breathing hard, staring into the ground with an almost dazed expression.

"Lucian, I think..." she sighed, "I think you guys did it. I think it worked," she breathed, staring wide-eyed at the demon, which was beginning to fade from view, as if it was returning to its rightful place in the pits of whatever hell it came from.

Lucian leaned his snowy head back, closing his eyes and turning his face toward the sky, sighing audibly, both relieved and exhausted.

One of the Druids approached him and spoke, "What do you want us to do with the body?"

"It's disappearing," Lucian replied, "It's a demon; it'll be gone in a minute or so."

The Druid cleared his throat a bit awkwardly, shaking his head, "No, not the demon," the Night Elf paused a moment.

Lucian snapped his eyes onto the elf. "What?"

"Sarion... He's dead."

* * *

_Dead_? Norivana thought to herself. _Dead? DEAD?_

All this work to save the poor man, after all this time, and he was _dead_?

At the news of this, Lucian had whipped into action, a burst of fear and adrenaline coursing through his body that was strong enough to allow him to sprint over to Sarion, trying desperately to regain enough strength to use a resurrecting spell before it was too late.

Sarion had died through means of magic. Magic deaths were different than actual physical ones, in the sense that there was a much, _much_ wider window to recover from it.

But Lucian had spent everything he had in defeating that demon, and now he had nothing left to revive Sarion with. And the rest of his druids weren't learned in the art of restoration; they were strictly balance or feral, and had no training in bringing a life back from the void.

Aitto was the same as Lucian, and both men were frantic. They had no means of regaining their mana, nothing, and they felt helpless. They had perhaps a minute at best before Sarion was lost forever, and they were forced to let it slowly slip away straight through their fingers.

Lucian let out a frustrated yell. "No!" he growled, grabbing Sarion's shirt, which was ripped and slightly discolored. "No!" he repeated, "Not you too, Sarion. I won't..." His voice broke.

Norivana couldn't watch this all over again. She couldn't bear to see Lucian like this, not a second time, to see him experience this loss all over again, it gripped her heart like a vice. She let a lump form in her throat and looked away this time, trying to force herself to block out the sounds of pain and heartbreak coming from her Druid.

Then, her mind suddenly flashed an image. A simple image, a random image. An image of Sarion's pack, which she'd only briefly glanced inside to retrieve a whistle. But what else was in that pack?

She recalled vials upon vials of blue, pearly liquid stored in his bag.

Mana potions.

Immediately she was on her feet, yanking the bag from the ground nearby and jamming her hands in, retrieving a broad handful of the potions and sprinting toward Lucian.

"Lucian!" she shouted, kneeling down next to him as she reached him and shoving her palm in front of him, presenting a large blue flask.

His entire face flashed a glimmer of hope and revelation and he immediately grabbed the potion, downing it within seconds and beginning a restorative spell.

"Step back," he warned quickly in the middle of his spell, and Norivana, Aitto, and Eko all backed away a few steps, watching him attentively with hopeful looks.

A few seconds later, a massive beam of white, bluish light beamed down straight into Sarion's chest, then engulfed him completely, shielding his entire body from view in a giant glowing orb.

Ethereal plants and flowers appeared and faded along with the light, swirling and meshing with the rest of the spell.

Amidst the spell, Lucian contorted his face into a frown. "Come on, buddy," he growled through gritted teeth, "Come on. _Come on_!"

A moment later, he suddenly relaxed completely, his face going stoic and eyes closing slowly. The body was still glowing, but was slowly fading.

Norivana's heart sank and she felt horrible. She'd just done something that had provided them all with a massive bout of hope, only for it to vanish, leaving the loss feeling even worse.

The four of them, along with a few surrounding druids, all stood there somberly, staring at the still-partially-glowing corpse of Sarion.

It wasn't until they heard a noise come from the lifeless body that they realized Lucian's spell actually worked.

Sarion groaned, his voice for the first time in a long time sounding like his own.

Norivana opened her mouth in both fascination and shock, as did the majority of the others there.

At first she wouldn't let herself believe that it worked; the thought seemed almost outlandish, like she was grasping at straws.

But then, when he actually moved, Norivana let out an almost strangled, relieved half-laugh, half-sob and suddenly wrapped her arms around Lucian, and it appeared he was just as surprised as she was because he did roughly the same thing as her before kneeling back down next to Sarion's side, rolling him over to face upward.

"Sarion," Lucian said calmly, "Sarion can you hear me?"

"Wow," he almost grunted before he opened his eyes, which glowed a beautiful, healthy shade of yellow. "I feel like shit."

Lucian let out a strangled laugh, which grew into a full chuckle, and he looked almost to the point of relieved tears as Sarion actually managed to sit up and look around.

Sarion still had his horns and his tattoos and whatnot, but he'd lost the sickly look and had regained his shimmery black hair, his rich purple skin, and his strong golden eyes.

Norivana realized this could possibly be the first time she'd ever seen him when he was truly, completely uncorrupted.

"Where am I?" he asked, "Is this Stormwind?"

Lucian nodded, and then Sarion asked a very, very heavy question.

"So," Sarion began, taking a deep breath and glancing around as if searching for someone, "Where's Unaril?"


	21. Repose

_**WOW!**_

**I'm so sorry it's been so long. I went on a mini-vacation and wasn't able to write, and then once I ****_could_**** write, I accidentally lost my chapter and had to re-write it all... Not to mention my second time writing it, I had so much difficulty doing so, and I've probably technically written this chapter three times over.**

**Hopefully I didn't do too much damage with the wait. :\ It's been weeks, I know...**

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**Review responses: **

**Connet: Sarion has had rubbish luck... :3**

**Woe the Dead: Honestly, even I was a little choked up at Sarion. Poor widdle guy!**

**Peachycupcake: Ian will definitely be returning!**

**Zarabethe: Oh yes, Aitto's got to have his spotlight! :D**

**Aeschielle-Moonguard: Whoa! I'm a little curious as to what this bet was, but then again, I may just prefer to let my imagination run wild. Also sorry about the not-so-soon update... :3**

**ForGG: Well, he's certainly not happy, that's for sure. :[ And thanks for the encouragement! Sorry it took so long to update. **

**Hawkleaf: I'll try not to include too much sadness in this one, I wouldn't want to send you into fits. ;) I'm glad you like the story.**

**Tala: Indeed... As the author who knew about all this the entire time, I've been feeling sorry for him through it all! **

**Envie Rouge: Thank you very much! :) I'll try to keep the updates coming!**

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**Also, I am going to be spacing the chapters out more because the 5.4 patch is probably coming within the next few months, and I want to be able to use details from that for the final fight/siege of Orgrimmar and the events leading up to it. Depending on how late the patch comes, I may -sadly- have to end up putting the story on a short hold, but that's worst-case scenario. I've heard the patch could come as early as late August, which means the updates may be smooth as butter.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

No one was willing to speak up, because no one knew what to say.

"Where's Unaril?" Sarion had asked so brightly, as if he expected his other half to peek his head around the trees and welcome him back. When the world stood perfectly still, he glanced around and smirked, leaning back against the support of the tree nonchalantly and sprawling his legs out in front of him in the grass. "What? Something I said?"

Lucian opened his mouth to speak, hesitating a moment. "Sarion..." He raised a hand to his own head, brushing his fingers through his hair.

Sarion's smile faltered just barely as he registered the seriousness in the air. "...What?"

"Unaril is..." Lucian paused, taking in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. He tightened his jaw as his friend's face became very grave.

The raven-haired elf's eyes became tense, and he stood, gritting through his teeth, "Where is he?"

"Sarion," Lucian gave him a pained look, "He's... gone."

Sarion's shoulders tensed up and his face contorted in a look of both disbelief and dread. "Gone where?" he asked hesitantly.

The look on Lucian's face was apparently all Sarion needed as confirmation of his worst fears. Sarion violently shook his head, his eyes showing such sudden grief that he began to literally shake.

"How?" he choked out in a breaking voice, not caring that his eyes were threatening to spill obvious tears.

Norivana gritted her teeth. How was Lucian going to tell Sarion, who apparently had no idea, that _Sarion killed his own brother_? Lucian licked his lips once, looking at the ground and probably thinking the same thing as her.

"Do you remember anything from the past few weeks?" Lucian asked him.

Sarion blinked, his face switching from pained to confused. "Of course I do, up until last night, when we arrived in Stormwind through Edoril's portal."

Everyone sort of winced at this. Somehow, Sarion had no recollection of what had gone on since that fateful night they went to Stormwind, almost three weeks ago.

"Lucian," Sarion pleaded in a low, quiet voice, which was now a bit more level and his face was expressionless, as if he was trying to block out the pain, "He's my brother. I deserve to know what happened."

Lucian's eyes flicked helplessly between Sarion's, and he looked almost trapped, but he did answer. "You... remember how you got infected with fel energy?"

"How do you know about that?" Sarion creased his brow.

Lucian sighed. "It wasn't just fel energy, Sarion, it was an entire demon," he continued, "You've been possessed for nearly three weeks. You truly don't remember anything? Anything at all?"

Sarion scoffed, his mind forcing him into denial, but he didn't say anything, just let his eyes flick back and forth at the ground. "How is that relevant?" he finally mumbled, though it didn't look like he really wanted an answer.

"The demon that possessed you... It killed him," Lucian stated, "It killed Unaril."

Sarion's eyes suddenly flashed with both shock and recollection, and he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He began frantically looking around, though it looked almost like he wasn't actually seeing anything, and he slumped back against the tree, sliding down until he was sitting. He put his hands to his forehead to brace it, but then yanked them away in disgust as he felt the base of his horns protruding from his head, now remembering how he got them.

He finally looked up at Lucian, pure agony etched across his face, "I remember. I remember it all," he almost began to show hysterics, starting to hyperventilate as he spoke, "By Elune, the things I did!" he hissed, "All those poor people, and Unaril-!" he choked a sob on his brother's name.

Lucian went swiftly to Sarion's side, kneeling and placing his hand on his friend's shoulder with concern, "Sarion, that wasn't you. You had no choice," he demanded, but Sarion shook his head.

"If I had no choice..." Sarion said shakily, his eyes spilling almost invisible tears, and he did his best to regain his composure but failed. He angrily slammed his large hands down onto the ground, gritting his fingers into the grass and dirt, and started to raise his voice, "If I had no choice," he repeated in a growl, then began to yell, his voice laced with anguish, "Why do I remember the thrill I felt as I wrenched my blade into my brother's heart?!"

Lucian winced, and the distressed elf took two painful breaths, then shouted again, "It _was_ me! _I_ enjoyed it! How could I possibly-!" His voice cut off in a choked sob and he let out a shaky gasp and slumped forward, letting his entire body quake with grief-stricken sobs. Lucian sat down beside him and placed his hand on Sarion's back, letting him vent his sorrow.

Norivana felt a large hand grip her shoulder, and she looked up at Aitto, whose face was contorted in a grimace.

"You should go," she mumbled to him, "This can't be easy for you."

He stared at Sarion, brows tense and jaw tight, but he finally inhaled a slow, deep breath before letting it out equally slowly.

"Night Elves' emotions are so concentrated," he muttered only loud enough for her ears, "Stronger than any other creature I've encountered. I feel like I'm drowning."

Norivana felt a rush of intensified pity for Sarion. If Aitto said it was bad, it was bad. She had no idea how she'd handle it if she lost someone that close. She recalled back when she thought Aitto had been killed, back when Krazak'Zul had tortured her. The level of horror and anguish she had felt had been to the point of going insane. She could only imagine how it must be like for Sarion, seeing as this time it was real.

All the other Druids had left, and Aitto chose to do so as well. Norivana was unsure whether she should go or not, but one glance at Lucian let her know she needed to stay. He gave her an injured look and pressed his mouth into a firm line, all the while still consoling Sarion. Sarion hadn't ceased crying, and he was still hunched over, head in his hands, unmoving save for the quake of his soundless sobs.

Norivana sat down next to Lucian, lacing her fingers into his free hand. He squeezed back and lifted her hand up, pressing his lips to the back of it and closing his eyes in sorrow. It was an interesting gesture, Norivana thought. Simple, yet held so much emotion that she felt her own eyes starting to well up. She blinked rapidly and wiped her eyes, giving him a delicate, sad smile, which he returned.

A few minutes passed, or maybe more, Norivana wasn't entirely sure, and it appeared Sarion had calmed and was now just sitting there, still slumped forward with his head in his hands.

Lucian stirred, squeezing Norivana's hand before letting go. He stood up slowly. "Sarion, I can show you where he's buried."

He helped Norivana stand up as Sarion raised his tear-streaked face. Sarion nodded and stood, following Lucian silently. They shortly reached the giant tree under which Unaril was resting, and Lucian quietly told Sarion of what they had done for the funeral. Sarion stared at the tree, his face almost completely stoic, and he walked up to it, delicately placing a hand onto the bark. He looked up into the branches, inspecting it, then knit his brows tightly, scrunching his eyes shut in pain. He leaned his head forward and rested his forehead against the tree, his own way of saying goodbye.

Lucian wrapped his hand around Norivana's again and led her away, giving Sarion his space.

They met up with Eko and Aitto, who were sitting next to each other on the ground, talking and eating. The two had almost immediately bonded, it seemed, and Norivana was so glad. It was nice that Aitto could have a friend now, even if it was a temporary visitor. And Eko appeared quite at ease around Aitto as well, as if they'd known each other forever.

Aitto had been telling Eko about what happened back when they'd been sentenced to death, of how they'd freed Lucian and whatnot. Eko was intrigued, listening intently as he ate a slab of spiced bread. When Lucian and Norivana arrived, Aitto held out his arms in a 'tada!'

"And here's the man of the hour," Aitto pointed at Lucian, patting the large elf's back while Lucian sat down beside him.

"You two talking about me?" Lucian raised his brow jokingly, reaching over and grabbing two slices of the bread, handing one piece to Norivana as she joined his side and popping a chunk of his in his mouth. He spoke through his mouthful, "Only good things, I hope?"

Eko raised one blue-skinned brow, eyeing Lucian mischievously, "Oh, nothing really," he flashed a grin, falsely accusing the elf, "Ya Tauren friend here was jus' tellin' me about how he caught ya prancing about in ya girlfriend's smallclothes."

At the troll's unexpected teasing, Aitto burst out laughing, and Lucian nearly inhaled the bread in his mouth, then coughed loudly, eyes watering both out of entertainment and the fact that he probably had spice bread in his windpipe.

Through sputtering coughs, Lucian finally managed to speak, laughing through his words, "What are you talking about?"

Aitto grinned and played along with Eko's outlandish accusation, raising his hands innocently, "I swear I didn't tell him about that, Lucian. I promised you I wouldn't." He then sent Norivana a wink.

"I never even did that-!" Lucian chortled, still obviously trying to regain his breath and laughing.

The mental image of Lucian doing that had Norivana in stitches, and once she regained some composure she crossed her arms with a smirk, eyeing him sideways, "Was it the red lace, or the black? I need to know so I can burn it."

Lucian, still grinning, placed his arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug, "Neither! If anyone saw me wearing those, it'd put all you women to shame." He bopped her nose with one finger.

Norivana jokingly sent a halfhearted punch against his arm, and he chuckled again and changed the subject. "So what exactly did you talk to the King about, then?" Lucian asked Eko, and Eko shrugged lightly, nibbling on a blade of grass between sharp white teeth.

"Not so much," Eko replied in his slight Zandali accent, "I informed him of Garrosh's and Vol'jin's plans. And that Vol'jin be needin' the King to help him overthrow the Warchief."

Aitto crinkled his furry brows. "You think Wrynn will actually help?"

"Hope so," Eko shrugged, "Garrosh be planning a full-on slaughter of Stormwind. He has a massive army hidden below Orgrimmar; that's where all his troops are disappearing to. In a few months, he'll be ready to invade Stormwind - which Vol'jin knows and be furious about. But if Vol'jin can put him down before he goes too far, we still got a chance to stop this Horde-Alliance war before it's too late. So, ya king wants ya to accompany me back to Sen'jin village in a week or so to discuss terms of their agreement. Varian would go himself if not for other issues forcing him to stay."

Lucian shrugged. "Whatever the king chooses, that's what I support. He's a very smart man. If he wants us to go with you, I suppose we should."

Norivana nodded in agreement. "I do what the King says." She then jerked her thumb toward Lucian, who still had his arm placed around her side, "Plus, where he goes, I follow."

Her white-haired elf gave her an affectionate look laced with something she couldn't quite place. Sadness? ...No, but his eyes did hold something akin to it. Perhaps he was still thinking about Sarion.

Eko smirked slyly at her comment, flicking his eyes between Lucian and Norivana, and he leaned over to Aitto and mumbled something under his breath, at which Aitto actually snickered. Norivana blinked at her Tauren. He seemed more at home with this Troll than he ever was with anyone else since they'd left Orgrimmar, even her.

"Hey," Norivana called out at them, jokingly scolding, "No secrets allowed."

Aitto winked at her, "I strongly doubt you want to hear what he just said."

Norivana pursed her lips, squinting her eyes between the Troll and the Tauren. "Hmmm... You're probably right..."

Eko grinned a toothy, tusked grin and stood up suddenly, brushing bread crumbs from his leathers. "Now," he began, "I don't know about the rest of ya, but I'm needin' a good drink and a nap. If anyone wants to join me for a drink, feel free."

Aitto stood too. "Sounds like a good plan." He too dusted off his armor and his gold-and-blue tabard and shook out his mane-like hair in a snort before following the young troll to the nearest tavern.

Lucian turned to Norivana. "A nap sounds amazing."

Norivana yawned in agreement. Her night before had worn her out, seeing as she had been tasked with dragging a demon through the desert, and she hadn't gotten all that much sleep. And by the looks of it, Lucian had barely slept either.

He stood, holding his hand down to her. "Before that, though, I want to show you something," he smiled, excitement showing through his tired exterior.

Norivana quirked a brow, taking his hand and standing, then let him lead her to the gigantic tree-building. As they neared the door, Norivana noticed Sarion was still in almost the exact same position he'd been in when she had last seen him: leaning against the tree, forehead and forearms placed onto the bark, and eyes scrunched shut. She looked away quickly, feeling like for some reason this was a very private moment for the dark-haired elf. Well, of course it was; he was mourning his dead brother, but still... It pained her to see him like that, not to mention he looked like he needed left alone.

Lucian must've seen it too because his hand squeezed hers a little tighter before they went ahead and entered the door of the tree.

She had to admit, this place was awesome. That tree back in Raynewood Retreat had absolutely nothing on this one. The entire interior was lined with a stained, shining wooden framework, and at one far end was a winding ramp much like the old tree. It was gigantic, seeming almost larger on the inside, and in the center rested a moonwell that was in the process of being built. Somehow, the wood in the floors, walls, and ceilings had been carved and engraved with tiny, detailed carvings of leaves, flowers, and murals of nature settings. The room was lit in a low light coming from tiny lanterns placed at small windows in the walls, giving the whole thing a very serene feel to it.

Norivana took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh scent of wood and rain that rode on the small breeze playing through the doorway.

"Lucian, I'm impressed," she breathed, taking in the sheer beauty of the building.

He glanced down at her, smiling. "Wait until you see your room."

Norivana's eyes widened. "My room?" she blinked a few times, unbelieving. "I have a room?"

Lucian grinned a wide, shiny grin and nodded, excitedly leading her up the ramp, past multiple levels of rooms as they scaled the massive tree. When they reached the level Lucian was aiming for, he beckoned her through a short hallway into a room that was almost shaped like a half-sphere, taking up almost one half of that level of the tree.

Her mouth hung wide open as she took in the sight.

Across the entire bowed wooden wall of this room was a line of large open windows that let in a cool, moon-like light that blanketed the smooth floor. In the center of that wall was a tall, curved archway that, from what Norivana could see, led out onto a small balcony overlooking the dark forest. A light northern breeze blew in from the archway as Norivana slowly walked in. Lucian stood in the doorway, leaning against a beam with his arms folded and a soft smile on his face. He didn't say anything, just watched her as she turned slowly, taking it all in.

One single low-lit lantern hung from the ceiling over a beautifully-adorned bed with white and pale blue sheets. Beside the bed was a tall armoire of the same wood as the tree, with the drawers and doors intricately carved with the same engravings as the ones on the base floor. Tentatively, Norivana padded over to the wardrobe and opened up the two large doors, and immediately felt her chest swell with gratitude.

There was an almost excessive amount of clothing in there, all finely tailored of silks and cotton, dyed and embroidered and knitted. Along with that, Lucian had sent for her things from her room in the inn to be moved into this one, all organized into their respective places. Not one item in there was to her dislike, and her mouth curled into a smirk as she cocked her head back to look at Lucian.

"Are you ever going to let me buy something for myself?" she clicked her tongue, reaching out one hand and running it over a particularly-silky ebon shirt.

Lucian chuckled, his voice rich. "Not if I can help it."

He stepped into the room, his sturdy boots clunking against the wooden floor as he did so, and inspected the place himself. This was one of the only places, Norivana noticed, that he didn't have to duck to enter the doorways or watch his head around the light fixtures.

And another thing was, this was the first time ever that she'd had a room of her own. Something about that clicked, and she felt at home. She'd been running all over the world, scattered like a leaf in the wind, but this, this place, it planted her feet. She knew this was where she wanted to stay.

And also, the tall silky-haired elf on display in the center of her room kinda made her want to stick around too.

Norivana laced her fingers behind her back, chewing on her lip and walking toward the balcony daintily, smiling as she peered at all the tiny details that had been put into making this room what it was. It was without a doubt the most impressive thing she'd ever received as a gift. And now that she thought about it, she'd recently received a lot of those.

Then, to Norivana's personal embarrassment, as she stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against the thin wooden railing, her eyes began to well up. Blinking rapidly, she began to wipe her fingers under her eyes, trying to will herself not to make a scene of it all, but it was too late. Lucian leaned over next to her, cocking his head in concern and holding a gentle frown in his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" he murmured, leaning one arm down against the balcony and turning himself to face her, his long frosty hair hanging over his shoulder down toward the ground far beneath them.

Norivana shook her head frantically. "No! No, nothing's wrong!" she sputtered, almost laughing, "I don't know why I'm doing this. My eyes are being stupid."

Lucian's mouth turned into a subtle smile and he unspeakingly turned his gaze down toward the elves below who were working diligently to furnish their new home. After a moment, Norivana spoke again.

"It's just..." she began, sighing once and then waving a hand back and pointing toward her room, "That," she then reached a hand to her neck, retrieving the delicate silver necklace that adorned it, "And this, they're beautiful. I just... I don't get it! For some reason, everyone I've met has been so ridiculously kind to me, and for what reason? I'm nothing but a traitorous ex-soldier with nothing to my name, but all of you seem to have it in your head that I deserve all of this."

Lucian's brow tightened just barely, but his mouth and eyes still held a smile as he gave her a reassuring look. "Norivana," he said, removing himself from the railing and then turning his head up toward the sky, letting out a sigh before returning his almost twinkling gaze to hers. "Why is it so hard for me to get this into your stubborn head? We do these things because we care about you." He shifted his stance, speaking with a low, sincere tone, "_I_ care about you. And yes, when I first knew you, I felt indebted to you for saving my life. I always will, of course, but that's not why I do this. I do this because I want to. Because you matter to me, and I want to see you happy."

Norivana felt a lump form in her throat and she tried to laugh to shake it off, but it ended up an almost strangled laughing sob. Lucian let an affectionate smile cover his face and he chuckled a warm, soft laugh, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug, placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Don't ever think you're not worth it," he murmured, squeezing his arms one last time before pulling back and placing his hands on her shoulders, staring into her vivid green eyes. "You, Norivana Sunstepper, are the strongest, brightest, most brilliant creature I've ever known."

"That's quite a compliment," Norivana choked a laugh.

"I mean every word," Lucian smiled back, then glanced back out into the forest. He raised his brows suddenly, snapping his fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot something!"

Without further explanation, he left her side, leaping smoothly back through the doorway behind her and leaving her stunned. She smirked. Silly Lucian and his distracted moments.

She followed him back into the room where she found him standing, holding out his hand. Perched on his finger was that tiny owl she'd met in Darnassus. Her jaw dropped. She'd completely forgotten about this little guy! She grinned widely and skipped over to the pepper-feathered creature, carefully reaching out a delicate hand and running her fingers over the bird's soft feathers. He hooted in approval, the sound an almost flute-like song.

"Hey buddy," she cooed at the creature, holding one finger up as a perch, on which he hopped and wrapped his tiny digits around. She grinned up at Lucian. "I forgot about him! Have you had him here the whole time?"

"Yep!" Lucian reached up and scratched his now-furry chin, which had gone from stubble to a beard in the past few weeks. "He's been our own personal bug repellent. Or... more like exterminator."

Norivana giggled and held the owl up at eye level, speaking to him in an almost baby-voice, "Is that true? What a good boy! Yes you are!"

The owl let out an appreciative hoot and puffed out his feathers, blinking his gigantic eyes. Norivana smiled.

"I'm going to call you Argyle," she smiled, and Argyle hooted again.

Lucian raised his brows, "That's actually kind of perfect," he mused, reaching out a finger to pet the speckled bird.

"Perfect name for the perfect bug-hunter," Norivana chirped.

As if on cue, Argyle leapt off her finger and flew up into the air, chasing a bug straight out the balcony and into the treetops.

"I'm guessing he does that a lot?" Norivana asked, wondering if her owl would return.

"He returns sooner or later," Lucian grinned. "Now, let's go see what trouble Aitto and Eko are getting themselves into."

* * *

They found the two men exactly where they said they'd be. Eko and Aitto were sitting at a corner-table of the Golden Keg, and Norivana was surprised at the lack of attention the two of them had gathered despite their obvious racial threat. A giant Tauren and a Troll weren't the sort to get away with waltzing around Stormwind. Then again, Aitto had his Alliance tabard and Eko didn't exactly look all that threatening, other than the now un-muzzled tiger sprawled out on the floor by his feet. And, both of them spoke Common, giving them a certain level of trust that they wouldn't receive otherwise.

Both men looked quite relaxed and content, leaning back in their seats and lazily drinking from their tankards. When Aitto saw Norivana and Lucian, he grinned.

"Where've you two been?" he scolded, reaching out in front of him and lifting up a full, untouched mug of ale, then slamming it down onto the edge of the table nearest the two approaching elves. "Your ale's going flat!"

Eko wiggled his brows, "I know where they've been," he murmured, then made a very crude gesture with his hands that made Norivana's face burn red.

"My goodness!" Norivana squeaked, shaking her head at Eko but allowing herself to laugh as she sat down in her seat. Lucian apparently hadn't heard Eko and he looked confused.

"What'd I miss?" he raised his brows, sitting down beside Norivana at the table.

Norivana shook her head almost frantically, replying to him much too quickly, "Nothing."

Lucian opened his mouth to speak but then paused, letting his lips form a smile and then looking around between the three of them. "Okay," he said slowly, then turned to speak to Eko, "What's the plan for when we go to Vol'jin? And who all is supposed to go?"

Eko let his expression turn a little more serious as he recalled what Varian had told him. "Well, we can't be bringin' too many into the village. I'd say maximum five or six. Otherwise ya'd all be too much of a threat." He leaned back in his seat, "Vol'jin wanted to meet Norivana and Aitto, which is why they gotta come. Ya father, Edoril I think? He's supposed to come too."

Lucian nodded, looking thoughtful.

"When are we leaving?" Aitto piped up.

"The King said Thursday," Eko took another drink, "So that gives us nearly a week."

"Why Thursday?" Norivana wondered aloud, reaching out to pick up her own mug. Eko shrugged.

"Donno, that's just what he said."

Norivana sipped her beverage, and Lucian, to her shock, reached down to pet Eko's tiger pet. The vivid orange tiger woke with a twitch of its shoulders, then raised its massive head and stood up. Norivana tensed, but then rather than attacking, the tiger rubbed up against Lucian and began to make a noise akin to a tiger's method of purring. Norivana set down her drink in surprise. Normally, hunters' pets would never allow an outside party to approach them, let alone scratch their ears.

"How is he not attacking you right now?" she puzzled, cocking her head and watching the menacing tiger be reduced to nothing but a purring kitten.

Lucian grinned. "I'm part kitty."

Eko laughed. "That, and the fact that Zazel is the most laid-back tiger I've ever met."

The tiger, apparently Zazel, made a chuffing noise with his throat and sat down on his haunches, resting his big furry head on Lucian's knee. Lucian continued to scratch the cat's ears while he took another drink, then wiped his mouth with his forearm and listened to Eko talk. Eko had begun recalling how he'd actually ended up taming Zazel.

According to the Troll, Zazel was a somewhat peabrained feline and had stumbled upon Eko's camp in the middle of the night. The tiger had somehow managed to get himself tangled in the strings of Eko's tent, but rather than fighting and trying to escape, the poor cat had merely accepted its fate and fallen asleep. Needless to say, it was quite a surprise in the morning when Eko awoke to a massive sleeping tiger tied up at the foot of his tent.

Norivana felt the buzz of alcohol in her fingertips and ears as she listened to the men chatter. They joked and laughed and told stories, and Norivana enjoyed it immensely, despite the fact that she was more or less an observer rather than a participant in the discussion. That's how she preferred it; she'd always liked staying in the background rather than the spotlight, a trait that must've come with her being a rogue. Of course, occasionally she'd join in and it was all fine and dandy, but for the most part, she liked to listen.

A few times she'd yawn widely, realizing that in the excitement of getting her new room, she'd completely forgotten about that nap Lucian had mentioned. Lucian didn't look much better, but he was having so much fun with the guys that Norivana didn't want to bother him about it.

She wasn't sure how long she spent in that tavern, but by the time she finally decided to leave, it was nearly dark out. Lucian gave her a quick kiss goodbye, much to the entertainment of Eko and Aitto, who both jeered loudly in their drunken states. Norivana blushed and Lucian smiled a happy smile and rolled his eyes at the guys, then said he would probably stay a while.

Still blushing, Norivana quickly exited the building to make her way back to her own room. She reached the dark, shady forest of the elves, and made a beeline for the tall, almost artistic-looking Druids' tree. A few colorful elves she didn't know greeted her, along with Catalpa and Lena who were both sitting in the grass nearby. Norivana sent them a short friendly wave and then went up to her new room, closing the door behind her.

It was somewhat cool in the room, the perfect temperature. Argyle was perched and sleeping in one of the windowsills, and at Norivana's arrival, he twittered and fluffed his feathers before returning to his slumber. Norivana shuffled over and flopped down in the large bed, completely exhausted and extra-tired from the ale.

This had been one of the longest days of her life; that morning, she had been stumbling through the desert with a demon on a leash. She'd gone from one end of the world to the other, ridden a dragon for the first time, snuck a demon into Stormwind, killed said demon, brought its host back from the dead, and then spent the rest of the day drinking in a tavern with a Tauren, a Troll, and a Night Elf.

Weird. That's all she had to describe it.

Staring up at the living wooden ceiling, she chewed her lip, mulling over how her meeting would go with Vol'jin. She could only hope he wasn't like Garrosh, but then again, seeing as Vol'jin disliked the Warchief for the same reasons as herself, she had hope for the Troll.

And also, apparently Edoril was supposed to go. That was good. He somehow had a way of calming people down and getting along with anyone, not to mention the fact that he was one of the smartest people she'd ever met. If the King should choose anyone to oversee this important of a job, it should be Edoril.

A cool breeze wafted through the many windows and archway across the room, carrying the scent of earth and leaves and rain. It was quiet, the only sounds being the faint chirping of crickets and the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees.

Within moments, she was out cold.

* * *

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and suddenly Thursday was upon Norivana's doorstep.

It was the night before they were set to leave, and Norivana had begun packing her necessities into a backpack and placed her armor out at the foot of her bed so it'd be ready when she woke up in the morning. Over the past week, she, along with Aitto and Eko, had been mostly just helping Lucian and his clan finish up what they needed in building their new home.

Honestly, Norivana thought, this place was even better than Raynewood. Not only was the tree itself larger, but because they were technically within Stormwind limits, they had the personal protection of the guards at their leisure, not to mention they weren't constantly under the threat of Horde attacks, nor did they need to send out scouting parties ahead of the hunters anymore.

They'd planted a massive orchard around the main tree, consisting of apples, pears, peaches, plums, and many fruits Norivana had never heard of. The trees themselves were tall, much more impressive than the ones that'd been there earlier, thanks to the Druids' plant-growing abilities. On the edge of the shady orchard, near the lake to the south of the woods, they'd set up a plentiful garden as well that had attracted a good amount of wild poultry.

These Druids had it better than half the people in the city.

Norivana took her necklace and placed it beside the backpack so it'd be ready for her in the morning, then realized she was done packing her things. With perfect timing, Lucian appeared in her doorway and visibly knocked on the frame, giving her his trademark smile. Norivana returned the smile, skipping over to him happily. His presence alone boosted her mood.

"What's up?" she chirped, and he shrugged.

"Not much, just wanted to see if you're ready for tomorrow."

Norivana nodded. "Got everything packed."

"Good," Lucian nodded once, then eyed her, "But what I wanted to know was if _you_ were ready. We don't know what to expect when we go."

"Oh. Honestly," she admitted, pursing her lips, "I haven't thought much about it. Haven't exactly let myself."

"That's kind of what I expected," Lucian chuckled slightly, walking over to the other side of the room and looking out the archway into the leafy canopy. He glanced back at her, "I'm not just talking about tomorrow, either. If this goes the way it's heading, there's going to be a war. A _big_ war."

Norivana joined his side, breathing in the cool, fresh night air and staring out through the trees. Moonlight peeked through the leaves and decorated the tree in a cold light. It was all so peaceful, so quiet and calm, and she wanted to freeze everything, to stay right here and forget about wars and battle.

"I wish we could pause the world," Norivana said quietly, chewing on her lip and listening to the crickets chirp far down below at the base of the tree. "I don't want this all to disappear."

Lucian cocked his head a little, staring up at the leaves above, "Even if we lose, we won't lose everything," he smiled, "Once the war is over, either way we'll always have this."

"That is, unless Garrosh wins and obliterates Stormwind," Norivana mumbled.

"I wasn't talking about Stormwind," Lucian shook his head once, letting one corner of his mouth keep his smile and looking over at her. His golden eyes shone through the dark like gemstones, his hair reflecting that light in odd flecks and shimmers. "I mean this," he nodded his head toward her subtly, "You."

Norivana took a deep breath, though she didn't reply. Lucian watched her silently for a while as she continued to stare into the night.

Finally, she spoke. "I don't really get that," she mused, quirking a brow and looking over at Lucian.

"Get what?"

"The whole..." Norivana fumbled for a moment, trying to choose her words, "This." She smirked, "You."

Lucian smiled to himself. "What don't you understand?"

"A lot," she sighed.

"That's not much to go on," Lucian chuckled, shifting his stance and leaning against the balcony ledge.

Norivana shrugged, elaborating, "I like you-,"

"I like you too," Lucian interrupted, glancing over at her and giving her a playful look.

"Let me finish!" Norivana giggled. "I like you, and although I don't know what this is," she waved her hand between herself and Lucian, "I can say that every good thing in my life, aside from Aitto, has come from you. Before I met you, I hadn't lived. I survived, yeah, but that wasn't _living_." She shrugged. "Whatever you and I have, whatever this is, I don't want it to end. This is all unfamiliar territory for me, but it's the best place I've ever been." She took a deep breath, calming her nerves. She _never_ was the sort to voice this sort of thing, so this was a big move for her.

She continued, "And honestly, I'd rather fight beside you with the risk of losing everything, than live in peace with anyone else... Does that make sense?" she sort of mumbled, fidgeting and nervously picking at one fingernail.

She finally let herself look at Lucian, who to her surprise had the biggest grin on his face she'd ever seen. The next thing she knew, he was kissing her, wrapping his protective arms around her and actually lifting her up off the ground, letting her feet dangle in the air. Momentarily thrown off-guard, Norivana squeaked and jerked her head back, afraid she'd go off-balance and fall straight over the side of the balcony. Lucian was still holding fast, though, and he chuckled.

"I won't let you fall," he grinned, and Norivana smiled back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and returning to the kiss she'd pulled away from.

After a moment he finally set her down, taking his time in releasing her. He opened his grinning mouth to speak for a moment, closed it, cocked his head slightly, and then let out a laugh. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear that."

Norivana finally braved a smile. "So I'm not crazy for thinking it?"

"If thinking that makes you crazy," Lucian shrugged, "Then I am too."

Norivana smiled, feeling relieved and thrilled. Lucian got a mischievous look on his face and gave her a sly smirk.

He yawned dramatically, stretching his arms out wide and shrugging his shoulders. "Well, seeing as we got that out of the way, it's only logic that we should elope, have twenty kids and go live in the mountains somewhere."

"Only logic," Norivana agreed with a giggle.

Lucian wiggled his brows, "And you think I'm joking."

Shaking her head, Norivana smirked. "What's this? Is Lucian Silverpaw planning to rebel? What would the parents think?" She clicked her tongue.

Lucian drummed his fingers on the balcony ledge. "The parents of a bastard child? They'd applaud me."

Norivana raised her brows in resignation. "Oh right, I forgot about that whole... thing."

"The whole 'forbidden love' thing they pulled off?"

"Yeah, that," Norivana smirked. "Do you think your parents will ever get together again?"

"They actually are now," Lucian stated, "At least, it appears so. Though as far as, say, marriage goes, I have no idea."

"Hmm." Norivana raised her brows. "So... I've heard a lot about your dad, but tell me more about Catalpa. Like, from the beginning."

"The beginning?" Lucian stood a little straighter, taking in a deep breath. "Let's see." He began to speak in an overdramatic tone, deepening his voice, "In the beginning, a giant turtle sneezed, and the Night Elves were created."

"Lucian!" Norivana butted in. "That's not how it happened, and that's not what I meant!"

He laughed. "How do you know that's not what happened? You weren't there."

"You weren't either," she retorted.

"Which means both of our opinions on the matter are equally valid," Lucian smirked.

Norivana rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. "Regardless, I meant your mother's story. Not the Night Elves."

"Fine," Lucian smiled. "Catalpa was born into the 'main' Silverpaw tribe, if you could call it that. I have no idea where it's located; they move around a lot. When she was very young, the youngest of four sisters, she chose to break off of the primary tribe and found her own. Many of the other younger members followed her, and thus my clan was brought into existence."

"How long ago was that?" Norivana wondered aloud.

"Hundred years, give or take," Lucian shrugged. "Anyways, she's a thrill-seeker, very outgoing, happy-go-lucky type with a strong affinity for trouble. But when the time calls, she can be the sweetest, most profound person I know."

Norivana smiled softly, "Well, from what I've gathered, she's exactly that."

"She likes you," Lucian said, giving Norivana a happy look.

"She said that?" Norivana asked, surprised.

"Yeah; she said you seem to have yourself figured out fairly well."

Norivana blinked. "Well that's good."

Before she could catch herself, she yawned widely, holding a hand up to her mouth to try to hide it. Lucian did the same, then grinned down at her.

"Sleep is a smart idea."

Norivana laughed and nodded. "Especially if we're leaving early morning."

She walked back into her room from the balcony and flopped down face first onto her bed. She heard Lucian's rich chuckle behind her but wouldn't bring herself to move, seeing as the bed itself was ridiculously comfortable. She heard his heavy footsteps nearing the door to exit and raised her head.

"Lucian," she called out, curious, "Where's your room at?"

He was in the doorway and he paused, turning and leaning a forearm against the frame. "Ah, I don't have it yet. Right now I'm bunking downstairs in one of the empty rooms with a few of the guys. We've got cots set up."

"Cots?" Norivana was appalled. Here she was _again_ on a comfortable bed, and Lucian was off doing who-knows-what kind of damage to his spine by sleeping in a _cot_.

"Yeah. You know, makeshift bed-," he began rambling, and Norivana cut him off.

"You could stay here. I don't bite," she smiled, scooting over to one side of the bed and patting one hand beside her. "But," she began, giving him a scolding look, "I might take that back if you try to wake me again with cold water to the ears." She eyed him sideways.

Lucian walked back into the room, kicking off his boots with a smirk on his face. "I can't promise you I won't do that." He chuckled, shucking his heavier armor so he was in his plain linen tunic and trousers.

"Fine, then I won't feel sorry for snoring," Norivana sniffed.

Lucian laughed and plopped down in the bed, causing the whole thing to jolt and make a loud creaking sound, almost sending her off-balance. Norivana gave him a speechless look and he shrugged.

"Sorry, I'm heavy," he smirked, then reached over and pulled on the sheet she didn't realize she was holding in a death grip.

She let go and they both curled down into the bed, sinking into the fluffy pillows. By now the only light in the room was moonlight, and Norivana let her heavy lids close, sending herself off into much-needed slumber.


	22. Flight at Dawn

**Want to know something ironic? **

**When I initiated this story, I hadn't the slightest inkling of what would be released in 5.4, nor had I researched any of the lore on practically anything in recent patches, so I was completely in the dark. My original plan was to have Norivana switch over to Alliance, and then somehow unite both sides against Hellscream. But then I thought to myself, "That's outlandish. There's no way that's in any way realistic - the Horde wouldn't overthrow their own chief; what am I thinking?"**

**Joke's on me, I suppose.. Thanks Blizz. ;D**

* * *

**Anyways, Review Responses:**

**Dragonmage3236: Thank you! I was really worried about that chapter. It was a challenge to say the least, and I feared it would kill the magic. I'm so relieved to have positive feedback! :)**

**Aeschielle-Moonguard: SO FLUFFEH I'M GONNA DIE! Also, with my luck, ze patch probably _will_ come out in November...**

**Connet: Eko and Aitto are two lost souls who've finally found their comedic double.. Look out, world.**

**Zarabethe: I love the sweetness! ;) I contemplated making their romance all complicated and stressful, maybe a fight or two, but then I decided, hey. Every other aspect of their lives ****is stressful, and they need something good. Why not make it each other? :D**

**Peachycupcake: Oh my, shrieking and screeching must've alerted the neighbors. *shhhh*. And well, as long as my trusty sidekick Google hasn't betrayed me, I read that although they generally prefer larger game, they will go for insects - especially the small breeds.**

**ForGG: Fluff is my life substance. ;D**

**CP Nightshade: Yay! I'm doing my best to include a fair amount of humor so it's not too terribly dramatic all the time. I'm glad someone appreciates it :D**

**Raistlin: After this one there most definitely WILL be a sequel! I've got it all planned out already. It'll bring back some prominent characters from this one, but the main character will be a different one. :) And it's going to be set further in the future - possibly 100-200 years. If I do have to end up putting this story on hold while I wait for 5.4, I'll just utilize that time to give myself a head start on my next one. When I publish the sequel, it's possible I'll have multiple chapters pre-written.**

**And finally, a big thanks to all of my readers! Your support is invaluable! :D**

* * *

**Also, I felt I should include a special thank-you to a guest reviewer, 'Y', who made a certain joke about Lucian and Norivana back during chapter 17 that I couldn't help but include in this story. It was too perfect. So to 'Y', thank you. ;D**

* * *

Norivana's eyes fluttered open, doing their best to focus in the near-dark room. The sun hadn't risen yet, only just barely lighting up the sky in a dim, cool mist. The air was brisk, seeing as it was nearing Autumn, and it came in through the archway of her room, the cold nipping at any skin left bare without her silky comforter.

Still feeling groggy, she shifted slightly, rolling over to face Lucian, who hadn't awoken yet. He was lying on his back with one arm wrapped up over the top of his head into his pillow, and the other one draped across his stomach on top of his blanket. His face was peaceful, slack, deep in slumber and free of stress, and his silky white hair was draped across the pillow and down over his shoulders. He looked serene, beautiful even.

Norivana curled into her blanket a little tighter, pulling it all the way up to her neck and enjoying the warmth of the fabric compared to the cold air. She watched him for longer than she cared to admit, the way his chest would rise and fall in even, shallow, slow beats, and how every once in a while, amidst his dreams, his mouth would twitch at a smile. For a moment she contemplated getting back at him and dousing his head in ice water, but she decided against it. He looked much too adorable for her to even think about actually doing that.

Finally, when her room had enough light to see across it, she grudgingly sat up, shivering once when the cold air hit her skin. As softly as possible, she slid out of bed, tiptoeing over to her wardrobe and pulling out an outfit, donning it quickly. She walked over to the desk that held her necklace, bag, and armor, and Argyle flapped over next to her, landing on the desk and watching her movements intently. She stroked his feathers a bit and then began to quietly strap her leather armor on, tightening and cinching everything as silently as she could so as to not wake Lucian. The armor's enchantments actually helped wake her up and clear her mind, for which she was thankful. She had a big day of traveling and whatnot ahead of her, and she needed to be alert for it.

Then, on went her necklace, which buzzed its usual buzz with Lucian so close. As if reacting to the necklace, Lucian stirred out of his slumber, inhaling a slow, deep breath in a sigh before sitting up and blinking a few times.

"You're up already," he said matter-of-factly, his voice still groggy with sleep. He yawned widely, then grinned a drowsy grin at her, "No ice necessary."

Norivana giggled her chiming laugh and shook her head. "Nope! Proud of me?"

Lucian stood, stretching out his tired muscles and crackling his joints before walking over next to her. "Very," he gave her a wily look and winked, "And your snoring sounded a little less like a Kodo in labor, so you should be proud of yourself too."

"Hey now," Norivana warned him, jokingly glaring up into his still-tired golden eyes as she picked up her backpack and strapped it over her shoulders, "You're lucky. I could have easily given you the ice treatment too, you know. But unlike you," she poked a finger against his chest, "I have a level of decency higher than that of an ape."

Lucian clutched a hand to his heart, his expressive golden eyes flashing with humor, "Oh, now I'm wounded! Your words are daggers to my pride, woman!"

"Then they're fulfilling their purpose," Norivana quipped, giving him a happy, innocent look. He squinted his eyes playfully and she pointed at his armor that still lay beside the bed. "Put on your armor and let's go find everyone else."

As Lucian retrieved a different set of clothes from his pack and strapped on his own armor, Norivana walked back out onto her balcony, taking a deep breath of the brisk air. She was surprised at how quickly it had cooled down overnight; just yesterday, it'd felt at least ten degrees warmer. The sun still hadn't peeked over the tree tops, and even when it did, its light still wouldn't hit the ground beneath the shady orchard the Druids had planted here. The trees were planted so thickly that for the most part, almost no sunlight reached the forest floors. The Druids had made it as close as they could get to Ashenvale, and in Norivana's opinion, they'd done a spectacular job of it.

She heard Lucian's clunking boots approaching through the balcony and turned, greeted by her Night Elf.

"The rest of my armor is down in the spare room," Lucian pointed a thumb over his shoulder. He hadn't had all of it on yesterday, only the boots and the chestpiece, and with where they were going, it'd certainly be a good idea for him to wear all of it.

Norivana followed him down the cylindrical building and waited in the main base room while he fetched the remainder of what he needed. Out of the corner of her eye, standing just outside of the open front door of the building, Norivana saw Sarion there with his back against the bark of the giant tree. Momentarily, she contemplated leaving him be, but one second look at his dejected figure and she shunned the idea. The poor man looked dreadfully lonely, not to mention she was worried about him. She hadn't seen him move from this spot for a week.

"Sarion," she said quietly, approaching him and tentatively placing herself beside him, leaning her back against the bark like he was and craning her neck to see his face, which was turned downward toward the ground. He barely raised his head, and to her surprise, his facial expression - though she could barely tell - was not so much upset as it was thoughtful. He was chewing on the inside of his lip, and although she had beckoned his attention, his eyes were currently fixated on the ground.

"Have you eaten?" she asked him, concern lacing her voice. Over the entire week, she couldn't recall one time that she'd seen him doing anything other than, well, doing what he was doing now.

He didn't look at her, but he did swallow slowly, then finally spoke. "Yes." His voice was gritty, almost rough.

"What about sleep?" she asked then, pursing her lips in doubt.

"I can't," he said simply, raising his eyes to stare at something far off in front of him, brow furrowed in thought. Norivana almost gasped at how truly terrible he looked. His eyes were sunken, half-lidded and sported dark circles that drooped underneath. His face was gaunt, as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Sarion!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper, standing up straight and craning her neck to get a better look at him. Even when he'd been possessed, he hadn't looked this bad. Losing his brother had taken its toll.

He finally blinked once and looked over at her, and though his face held no sorrow, his eyes were quite the opposite. Deep, sorrowful golden shining orbs studied her, somehow so expressive despite the stoic mask upon his face. He gave her an expectant, quizzical look.

"Is..." she bit her lip, eyes searching blankly as if that would help choose her words, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

A silent moment passed.

"Well, sleep would be nice," he murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index and squinting his eyes shut. He then opened them wide and raised his brows, blinking rapidly as if his eyes were sore. They actually probably were.

"Have you tried potions?" Norivana asked him.

"Actually, yes," he shrugged, "Lucian gave me some."

Norivana shifted her stance, batting away a bug that began buzzing around her face, and cocked her head. "And...?"

The dark elf actually gave her a humorous look and crossed his arms, "If it worked, would I be here right now?"

Norivana slumped her shoulders. "Did you tell him?"

Sarion waved his hand dismissively, "Lucian thinks they're working. I don't want to bother him about it."

"Yeah, well," Norivana argued with a frown, "I think it'll bother him more if you don't let him help you."

Sarion didn't say anything more, just shrugged and sighed once. More silence passed, and then Norivana changed the subject.

"So... About last week..." she began with a bit of an awkward tone, kicking a heel against the grass.

"Let me guess," he said quietly, "You want to talk about what happened in the Barrens?"

Norivana nodded, looking apologetic. "I'm so sor-" she began to speak, but Sarion's sudden head shake stopped her.

"No," he ordered almost forcefully, his sharp jaw pulsing once before he continued, "Do not apologize for that. If anything, you should be demanding my thanks."

Norivana paused her train of thought, blinking at him in confusion.

He clarified, "I am free now because of you. Because instead of giving up and leaving me to my own corruption in that cursed desert, - which I'm sure you contemplated doing, by the way," he surprisingly let a corner of his mouth twitch with an almost smirk, "You brought me back. Despite all that I had done, despite everything you had to do, you still went out of your way to drag my sorry ass back here. If you hadn't, I'd still be goodness-knows-where, doing who-knows what."

He grimaced and shifted slightly, standing a little straighter and leaning his head back against the tree, his horns clacking against the wood. He stared out ahead again, "So whatever you were about to apologize for, save it."

Norivana sighed and shifted as well, leaning all of her weight against the tree beside the sable-maned elf. She glanced over at him. "You keep referring to those times as if you yourself were the one committing the faults, not the demon. You know it wasn't you, right?"

Sarion's brow furrowed. "Just because I was possessed by a demon does not mean I wasn't a witness or even a participant to its actions. I treat those memories as my own because I feel guilty."

"Guilty?"

He gritted his teeth. "I keep feeling like I could have stopped it. That it shouldn't have happened. If I was stronger... If I'd only fought against it harder, maybe this wouldn't have happened." He inhaled a slow breath, closing his eyes for a moment. "The worst part about it all was that not only did I see what was happening, I felt what the demon felt. If he was angry, I was angry. If he was happy, so was I. Which is why my memory of Unaril is so... Wrong." Sarion broke off abruptly after that, clamping his mouth shut. His eyes looked tortured, but he just clenched his jaw again and said nothing further.

Norivana didn't even know what to say. So when Sarion had been forced to kill his own brother, not only had he watched the whole thing, but he'd also been forced to _enjoy_ it. The thought of that made her sick to her stomach.

She glanced back over at Sarion, who had barely moved a muscle. She put a hand on his shoulder, speaking in sincerity. "Sarion, no one deserves what you went through. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you. But I want you to know that you still have people who care about you and who will do everything they can to help you. You're not alone in this."

Sarion finally blinked a few times and looked over at her, forcing a smile and a single nod. Although he had acknowledged her words, she knew he was only doing those actions for her benefit. His brows furrowed again and he looked back down at the ground. Norivana gave him a sympathetic look and, on impulse, a hug, lightly wrapping her arms around the grieving elf. He tensed, but only for a moment, then gave in, returning the hug almost eagerly. He let out a shaky, resigned breath and tightened his arms, and Norivana realized it was possible he hadn't had one of these in a long, long time.

Thunder echoed overhead and Norivana glanced upward just as Lucian's head peeked out of the doorway to her left. He glanced around, and then his eyes rested on her and Sarion and he smiled.

"Gonna rain," he said with an enthusiastic edge, "It's too bad we won't be here to enjoy it." He stepped out completely, now fully decked out in his impressive set of armor. Norivana raised her brows. When he wanted to, Lucian could look _really_ intimidating. His long snowy mane had been swept back and tied at the base of his neck, his beard had been trimmed into a neat, defined shape, and his armor looked like it'd granted him an extra twenty pounds of muscle. She knew it was just the bulk of the leather and whatnot, but nevertheless, it had given him a whole new look. He'd gone from a tall, serene elf to dauntingly powerful with an almost devilish touch to his expression. She hadn't seen him look like this since the first day she'd met him.

Norivana pulled away from the hug finally, studying Sarion's sad eyes and giving him a reassuring look and a sympathetic smile. "And we'll figure something out about the sleep issue, okay?"

He finally returned a genuine look of appreciation, not smiling but not looking like a kicked puppy either. She patted him once on the arm before going over to Lucian.

Despite how scary he looked, the warm smile Lucian gave her made her melt, and she took his outstretched hand. She quirked a brow to look at him as they walked. "Where are Eko and Aitto?"

"With my father in the keep," he said simply, raising a brow and looking up into the sky distractedly, which was an almost bruise-like blue and blanketed in grey rain clouds. "At least, that's what I was told."

"We'd better get there before it pours," Norivana chirped, also looking up into the sky just in time for a raindrop to fall straight into her eye. Giggling loudly, Norivana blinked rapidly and made a loud squeak, then opened her eyes just in time for another drop to hit the tip of her nose. Lucian started laughing then, grabbing her hand and breaking into a jog as the rain began to fall in sheets, sprinkling off of the stone-paved streets and into the canal. They both ended up sprinting, running all the way to the keep, but their haste was to no avail as by the time they arrived, both were soaked to the bone.

They burst in through the tall archway, panting from the large flight of stairs and dripping wet. Edoril, Aitto, and Eko were standing just inside as well, and all of them turned to stare at the two soaked elves with amusement. Norivana suddenly felt dumb for not pulling her hood up against the rain. She hadn't even thought of it.

Edoril began laughing. "Oooh," he flinched jokingly, "Bad timing for you guys, huh?"

Lucian chuckled, shaking out his arms, which sent water droplets flying every which way. He ominously walked up to his dad with a gigantic grin. "Want a hug, Pops?"

Edoril held up his hands, raising his silver brows. "Ohhh no, no thank you-," he began, but was interrupted when Lucian blundered over and gave his dad a gigantic, sopping bear hug. Edoril cringed, baring his sharp canines in a half-grin, half-grimace.

Lucian released his grip and patted his dad on the shoulder, and Norivana began giggling to herself at Edoril's charcoal robes, which now had a nice soaked Lucian imprint all across the front of them. Lucian clapped his hands together once, looking expectant.

"Portal time?" he asked, looking around.

Edoril nodded, shifting his robes uncomfortably. "We're going to Darnassus. Want to help?"

Lucian nodded, and he and Edoril set to work, summoning a strong portal that appeared out of thin air. First went Edoril, then Aitto, Eko, Norivana, and finally Lucian. Norivana hadn't expected to be here again so soon, but she wasn't complaining. The Night Elves' city itself was impressive, not to mention gorgeous. It also wasn't pouring rain here, so that was a plus.

They made their way straight through the foggy pink portal this time, not stopping for food or armor or anything. They had a long day ahead, and time was precious. As Edoril was about to approach the hippogryph master stationed to the side, the other four remained back, and Eko and Aitto both took in the sight, gawking at the massive island tree. One glance at the hippogryphs made Norivana's stomach churn. She wasn't too keen on riding another one of these beasts. Her ride on the gryphon had been enough, honestly.

Lucian noticed the grimace on her face and automatically made the connection. He nudged her with his elbow. "I could always shift to bird form and give you a ride instead, you know."

Norivana's face lit up, as this alternative was _much_ better in her opinion, but an outburst from both Aitto and Eko behind her made her pause. She turned around to look at the two of them, mouth still held open in the middle of a word. Eko was laughing so hard he had one knee braced on the ground, and Aitto was chuckling a hearty belly laugh.

"What?" Norivana said blankly.

Eko, amidst chortling snorts of laughter, finally managed to speak. "Go - haha! - Go ahead, Norivana. He'll let ya_ ride_ him! Ya can't decline such an offer!"

To the side, Lucian opened his mouth to retort something, taking in a sharp breath, but then just shook his head with a soundless laugh and began scratching his chin with his thumb. He looked slightly uncomfortable, and Norivana squinted her eyes, still not understanding why it was so funny. "What..?" she repeated, this time glancing up at Aitto, who wasn't doing much better than Eko.

"I was wondering when ya'd mount him!" Eko nearly shouted, slapping a hand on his knee and laughing so hard that he wasn't even making a sound.

Norivana's face instantly turned a ripe, beet red, and she instinctively stepped a step away from Lucian, who had placed a curled fist over his mouth to hide his smile, but she still saw it in his eyes.

"You're all pigs," she sniffed, forcing herself not to laugh, and she raised her chin and left the group of snickering men, joining Edoril's side near the hippogryph keeper. Edoril had just paid the man a hefty amount of silver, enough for all of them to fly straight down to Ratchet, and he glanced over as Norivana approached, then turned back to look at the men. They were all laughing, but Lucian's gaze was still following Norivana through his smile.

Edoril then glanced back at her with a humorous expression. "Boys will be boys...?" he half-questioned with a shrug, quirking a brow. It wasn't hard to tell that they'd done or said something offensive.

"Boys will be pigs," Norivana corrected him, finally letting a corner of her mouth curl in an amused smirk.

Edoril laughed and nodded once, "Aye, that they will."

He then beckoned the men over, and thus began the process of each person getting themselves situated on a hippogryph. Surprisingly, Norivana noticed, unlike the gryphons she'd met in Stormwind, these creatures were quiet, calm, and didn't require someone to hold their reins at all times to keep them from taking off. But still, she thought to herself with a grimace, she'd much prefer _not_ to ride one.

After much confusion and bustling around, strapping saddles onto the creatures and getting the reins situated, they were ready. Edoril let out a sharp whistle and said something Norivana didn't catch, and suddenly all five birds were up in the air, flying in an almost V-shape formation with Edoril in the front and center. Lucian was to her right, and Edoril was to her left, and then on the other side of Edoril flew Aitto and Eko - both of whom looked like they were having the time of their lives, grinning widely and looking down below at the gradually-distancing ground.

Personally, Norivana didn't exactly like heights. At least, not when she was being carried by a mindless beast traveling at who-knows-what speeds, at who-knows-how high. She refused to let herself look down, and decided to force herself to make conversation with Lucian, who was sitting peacefully in his saddle, letting the sea air send his ponytail flowing behind him like a flag.

"I'd have taken you up on your offer if not for Eko's comment," Norivana laughed, and Lucian gave her an almost sympathetic smile.

"The hippogryphs are much better than the gryphons though, aren't they?" he mused, petting his hand over the feathers on the neck of the creature that carried him, but taking care not to get too close to the creature's antlers.

Norivana shrugged, "I suppose. They still scare the hell out of me, though. I mean it's not like I can just say, 'Hey, I'm about to fall off, be careful', and they'll actually listen."

Lucian gave her a funny look, but before she could speak, a voice interrupted her.

"I will not let you fall, fel elf," the hippogryph in front of her said in a strange, almost feminine voice, and Norivana nearly lost her grip. She tensed up, eyes widening and mouth opening in surprise. The creature carrying her actually talked to her. _Talked_ to her!

"Y-you speak?" she stuttered, gripping her hands tightly on the saddle horn in front of her.

"We all do," the creature responded, and then glanced over at Lucian, who was smiling a wide smile. The hippogryph continued, "Is it not common knowledge?"

Norivana shrugged, "I didn't know. I'm sorry." An embarrassed flush had crept into her ears and she only hoped it'd come off as wind burn instead to anyone who noticed it. She glanced back over at Lucian, who was doing his best to hide his amusement.

"No offense taken," the hippogryph's voice sounded sort of rattly - pretty much as close as a bird can get to speaking like a humanoid.

Norivana just decided to stay quiet now, having been embarrassed twice in a matter of less than an hour. The knowledge that the beast carrying her was a competent one had now put her at peace, and she could finally focus on something other than holding on for dear life. She craned her neck to the side to look down toward the ground, watching as the Darkshore forests swept by far below.

Although they were not as fast as her trusty Druid, these hippogryphs were swift, and it wasn't long before they swept straight over the border into Ashenvale.

Norivana glanced over at Lucian, whose face held a nostalgic spark as he stared down into the almost blue-green forest of his old home. But then, as the setting changed and they passed over an Orc settlement within the southern part of the forest, his brows tensed and he dropped the smile. Beneath them lay a once-thriving Night Elf town that had been reduced to rubble. Around it stretched rows upon rows of chopped and burned stumps, ghosts of where beautiful, tall trees had proudly stood. The ground was singed and charred and no longer held the colorful vegetation that used to speckle the forest floors. In place of the old buildings were vivid red tents sporting the Horde banners, and between them ran dusty beaten pathways.

It was like a festering sore amidst the thriving woods.

They didn't have much longer to dwell on that, though, because within a few more minutes, they had passed over Ashenvale and into the Barrens. As they finally crossed the mountainous threshold, completely entering the territory, a hot, dry wind hit Norivana like a shield to the face, and she couldn't help but marvel at the massive difference between the cool winds of Ashenvale and the dry, arid heat of this desert.

And although she'd been here but a week earlier, it was still strange coming back to this place. She'd gotten so used to Stormwind that this almost seemed foreign, even though it used to be her home. She let her mind dwell on those thoughts for longer than she realized. The hippogryphs flew straight and true over the vast stretch of desert grassland, occasionally there being miles upon miles of nothing but dry, grassy savanna plains.

It had to have been nearly an hour before she saw a long, crystal shoreline and a little town she recognized as Ratchet. The hippogryphs knew exactly what to do and where to go, because they somehow managed to line up mid-air and go one-by-one to let each of their riders dismount before they fluttered over to perch off to the sides of the gryphon roost.

Norivana wondered if the creatures would fly all the way back to Darnassus or if they'd just stay here, but her thoughts were interrupted when Eko nudged her arm, pulling her attention to the present. She realized that everyone else was already making their way to the northwestern side of the little seaside town and that she had been zoned out completely. Thanks to Eko, though, she hadn't been left behind.

Jogging to catch up, Norivana and Eko reached the others' sides just in time to be greeted by what could only be described as a squadron of raptors. Norivana almost went into her freak-out mode before she realized that a few of the raptors had riders, and that those riders were Trolls bearing the same tattoos as Eko himself. Eko weaved his way to the front and squinted his eyes in the sun, looking up at the Troll nearest to him, a woman who looked to be in her thirties. She had vivid red hair and deep blue skin, and her eyes practically burned the traditional Darkspear red. She glanced down at Eko, giving him a fond look, and barked a few words in Zandali, to which Eko responded with - you guessed it - even more Zandali.

The woman then let her eyes graze over Norivana and Aitto, stopping on Lucian and Edoril, the two Night Elves, for only a second before nodding once and pulling on the reins of her teal-skinned raptor. She barked out a few more orders with a stern-sounding voice, and another Troll dismounted and walked up next to Eko, giving Eko a smirk. Eko gave the man a giant hug and clapped him on the shoulder, laughing loudly about something Norivana couldn't understand.

Norivana was really wishing she knew what was going on - or at least what they were saying - because she felt completely lost. Lucian and Edoril looked perfectly fine, seeing as _they_ could speak every language there was. Lucian was listening to them with a mildly interested look, jaw held slack and eyes almost far away, as if he weren't quite paying attention to the present. Edoril had his brows tightened slightly and was listening to the Trolls intently as they spoke.

It seemed that Norivana's confusion didn't matter, though, because moments later she found herself being hoisted up and planted onto one of the brightly-colored reptiles that had accompanied the Darkspear Trolls. The raptor on whose back she was sitting craned its colorful, decorated and armored neck to the side, eyeing her with one beady eye and opening its serrated mouth with a screech-like sound. It then took off running after the leader of the group, the woman in front, as did all the others surrounding them. It was all Norivana could do to keep from squeaking in terror, but she knew something like that would give Aitto and Eko even more reason to tease her.

The ride was bumpy, uncomfortable, and terrifying all in one. The other raptors around her that carried their own riders would occasionally draw too close, scraping against Norivana's leg or against her ride and causing her to almost go off-balance. Norivana squinted her eyes shut, gripping her hands onto the reins and tensing every muscle in her body.

_Okay, _she thought to herself, _A gryphon suddenly doesn't sound so bad_!

They rode over a bridge that led to Durotar, continuing to travel toward the southeastern end of the peninsula until the leader barked an order and everyone came to a stomping halt. The raptors fidgeted anxiously and clacked their sharp jaws at each other while the Darkspear woman spoke to Eko, and finally Eko translated.

He turned to look at the rest of the group. "They want ya to dismount before we reach the outer village. We'll take canoes across to the main isle, where Vol'jin be awaitin' ya." He flashed an excited grin.

Gladly, Norivana did as she was told and hopped off of her raptor, which eyed her with a certain glint as if it was contemplating the consequences of choosing her as its next meal. Norivana shifted away from the hungry creature, backing up until she accidentally bumped into Aitto. Before she knew it was him, she let out a surprised squeak, and he turned and steadied her with his big furry palms and smirked at her, his murky green eyes almost shining.

"Relax," he said, his voice low and calm, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, studying her. "You've been tense since we left. Everything's fine, 'Vana."

Norivana forced her shoulders to loosen and she took one deep breath, then let it out slowly. She smiled sheepishly at the Tauren. "You're right. Sorry."

He spoke up again, sounding both reassuring and excited, "We get to meet the leader of the rebellion against Garrosh Hellscream! How awesome is that?"

She knew he was trying to distract her, but she chose to let him, allowing a smile to cross her face. "It _is_ pretty awesome..."

With a smile, Aitto gripped one hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently once in a friendly gesture as he turned to walk alongside the Trolls who were leading them into the village. Before long they found themselves waltzing straight into the village, past which Norivana could see the islands poking out of the crystal blue water. There were a few Trolls bustling about, as well as some Troll children who had come to observe the visitors.

They approached three large canoes that were tied up at the shore, and Norivana was packed in tight next to Aitto and Eko, along with a few other Trolls. In another canoe went Edoril, Lucian, and the rest of the Darkspear. Norivana peered over the edge of the vessel, staring into the clear sea as it carried her to another shoreline. She reached out a finger, letting it dip into the current. The water was cool, but not freezing, and half of her wished they'd swam across instead. It was an outlandish thought, seeing as she was fully decked out in leather, but still. On a warm day like this, cold water is very inviting.

A lurch in her balance brought Norivana out of her thoughts and she glanced around, realizing they'd already reached the island. Carefully, she stood, hoping desperately that she wouldn't send the rocking boat off-balance and in turn toss its contents into the water - those contents being her, Aitto, and a bunch of Trolls. Thankfully her feet hit hard ground as they sank into inch-deep water before she walked up further onto the land, making way for the rest of the passengers. Lucian joined her side, glancing around constantly and taking in his surroundings.

These islands were definitely jungle islands as opposed to the land across the water, which was drier and held much less vegetation. As Norivana peered into the thick brush and trees, she could make out the shapes of stone slab temples and wooden huts, telltale signs of Troll life. She was here, in the heart of it all, and there was no turning back. Rather than dread, though, Norivana felt excitement. Even though she was only supposed to meet the Troll chief, she was still eager to learn what the plans would be later on from Edoril and Eko, once they'd talked things over with Vol'jin. _  
_

A few Trolls took the lead and the others walked behind to escort the four of them into the village. Norivana took a deep breath, letting it out in an almost stressed sigh. Lucian glanced down at her and held out his hand for her to take, and she did, braiding her fingers in his. He gave her a reassuring smile, and they both fell into line, venturing straight into the jungle to meet the chief.

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**Bit of a cliffhanger, sorry. I'm not sure when I'll be able to write my next chapter, so I wanted to get this one posted. :) **

**Vol'jin in the next chapter! Whoo!**

**Also, once more: seriously, 'Y', thanks for the joke. ;D**


	23. Admission

**Hey all! Chapter 23 up and roaring. I'm taking the chapters slow and introducing a lot more character interaction in them rather than story progression. Obviously I'll still have the story continuing, just... slower. That's so that I can keep writing while I wait for the patch.**

**Review responses:**

**Lucian: I'm so sorry! I didn't see your review until after I posted my last chapter. Anyways, is that your actual chosen username or did you just choose it for this story? Me likey. :P And yep! I actually have the first chapter of the sequel done already.**

**Zarabethe: Hooray for rain and everything it... encompasses. ;D As for Sarion, yes, but we'll get to see what he does about them in upcoming chapters. :)**

**Connet: Their parts in the story are definitely some of the most fun to write as well. ;D**

**Arenhai: Hmm. Depending on the race, the life spans vary greatly. Night Elves (though not right now) are immortal. Blood Elves live a long time, at least a couple hundred years if not more. I think most of the other races don't live quite as long, though obviously there's always exceptions. In my next story, (or maybe this one's epilogue) I'll explain how they manage that issue. :)**

**Aeschielle: Sexy Vol'jin. :D At least I'm not the only one who likes da Trolls. And you got it renewed?! Yisss! Just to let you know, PVP SERVERS SUCK SO MUCH BUTT. QUESTING IS IMPOSSIBLE. ...Not that I've been fuming about that for who knows how long. Pfft.**

**Peachycupcake: Ooh, I'll invest in a crystal ball. Also, aww I forgot that part was even in the story. Now its gonna make me cry. xD**

**Rock On: Holy... Hellfire. So many reviews! When I saw my email saying I had 22 new story reviews, I nearly pissed my pants! Didn't know whether to be terrified or delighted until I read them. Thank you for the awesomeness! xD**

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**Also, I have a question. I have the first chapter of the sequel to this story written already. Would you all prefer I post it now so you can read the sneak peek, or do you want to wait until this one's over? It has a bit of a mini-spoiler in it, but nothing that'll screw up this story at all. Just minor side-plot stuff from this one that becomes prominent in the sequel.**

**EDIT: Posted the sequel! :) **

**Link: s/9618745/1/Reawakening**

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If Norivana had to describe the Troll chief in one word and one word alone, it'd have to be 'awesome'. And not in the slang sense of the word; it'd be in the true meaning. Norivana could only describe her reaction to him as awestruck.

He was much larger than the other trolls by far, towering over them even in his hunched posture. Norivana had no idea how tall he'd be at full height, seeing as right now he was about the same as Lucian, minus the gigantic vivid red mohawk that sprouted from the top of the man's head. His tusks were gigantic, worn and chipped, yet still impressive and no doubt strong as ivory. He wore decorated leather and cloth and wooden tribal carvings as his belt buckle and shoulder guard. His detailed armor was decorated in teeth, skulls, feathers, and beads, and his facial hair was tied into three separate tails by golden rings. His eyes were gold with red irises, and his face had been painted with white and black designs, like claw marks stretching from his eyes down across his cheeks and up onto his forehead.

Norivana had expected him to give a negative approach toward Lucian and Edoril, but in truth, he'd done quite the opposite. The towering, impressive, weathered Troll had, once he was introduced to them all, walked straight up to Edoril and given both him and Lucian a strong, friendly handshake. He'd smiled through his massive tusks, his cunning gold and red eyes studying them intensely, but he'd shown nothing but courtesy to all of them. He still watched them like a hawk, but that wasn't a big deal, seeing as none of them had any secret agendas.

Although she had seen the man before in her earlier years in Orgrimmar, she'd never actually _spoken_ to him. Back then, she'd been nothing but a nameless soldier. But now, now it was different. Now, both she and Aitto were - according to Vol'jin - practically glorified as saints to a lot of Horde enthusiasts who knew about them. Norivana and Aitto chose to keep it to themselves that they'd actually ended up killing the Troll Krazak'Zul. Only a select few elves knew about it other than them, and they wanted to keep it that way. Although they knew the man had been loyal to Garrosh, they weren't going to take any chances.

Of course, there was still a bit of a dispute over the fact that rather than going to Vol'jin, the two of them had run to the Alliance. However, with what was going down now and the fact that Vol'jin was seeking out the Alliance King himself, most everyone brushed over that issue with not even a second thought. Personally, Norivana was a bit confused as to why that even _was_ an issue. When she and Aitto had initially been sentenced to die, they had absolutely no idea that Vol'jin was going to lead a rebellion against the chief. But, let bygones be bygones; they had bigger things to focus on now.

When the Troll chief had finished his greeting with Edoril and Lucian, Aitto and Norivana had been called up to speak to Vol'jin. They went eagerly, giving him polite smiles and bowing deeply as he greeted them.

Vol'jin watched both of them with astute eyes, age lines pulling at the lids and crinkling when he began to speak. "I be hearin' lots o' stories about da two of ya," he said, his Zandali accent much stronger than Eko's. "Most of which I know aren't true, but all be impressive nevertheless. I know ya defied Garrosh and paid da price for it too... I'm happy tah see ya here alive. Any others who've challenged him sadly can't say da same."

"Well, we had help," Aitto shrugged, nodding his head back toward Lucian.

Vol'jin nodded once, glancing shortly over at the tall frosty elf before looking back at Aitto. "Help I hope tah acquire as well." He then shifted his stance, leaning his forearm against a staff of sorts and flicking his eyes between Norivana and Aitto. "Thank ya both for comin' all da way here. I merely wanted tah see ya in da flesh, and seein' as Eko here ended up travelin' wit' you both, it was a dream come true." Eko, who was standing off to the side, perked at his name and glanced over at the chief.

"It's an honor to meet you," Norivana bowed her unhooded head, then smiled up at him, "And to fight for the true Horde."

"I'm glad ya feel da same way I do," he then stood up almost completely straight, rolling his shoulders and stretching out his back before shaking out his long, strong arms once and regarding them both again. "Here's my problem with Garrosh. He cannot expect to receive a positive response when he rules in tyranny, oppressing his subjects and leeching their freedom out with his bare hands." He ground his teeth once against his tusks, sighing, "Good beings, such as our true chief, Thrall, enact laws which control da evil ones among them. In da course of time, Garrosh rose to wield dat power himself, strengthening da same laws Thrall had and using dem to destroy da beings who originally saw need for control."

Vol'jin then shook his head in irritation as he continued, getting continuously more frustrated as he spoke, "Garrosh has taken away da freedom of those who were once his people. He should've known how important it truly is to avoid encroaching their liberties, but instead, he has tightened his fist around the neck of Orgrimmar and strangles the life out of his subjects. And to make matters worse, he is so far gone dat he has lost everything Thrall saw in him," the Troll smacked a fist into is palm, "Now nothing but a tainted husk with warped motives. He will be taken down, and I intend to be da one to do it."

Norivana blinked a few times at the man, now deciding that he was, in fact, the reason she wanted to be involved in this battle. He'd hit the target spot on, and Norivana felt a level of admiration surge up as she realized how incredibly right he was.

"Couldn't say it better myself," Aitto said with brows raised and a snort. Vol'jin, having now calmed down after his rant, approached both of them, placing a hand on Aitto's and Norivana's shoulders in an almost assuring gesture.

"You both are welcome within my walls. No one will harm you here. And now," he released them, looking up at Edoril from across the room, "I must discuss some matters wit' da elf Mage."

Norivana and Aitto both thanked him before leaving the temple, walking back out into the open and blinking in the sunlight. Aitto chuckled slightly.

"Is it just me or is he brilliant?" he snorted, shaking out his mane and cracking the knuckles on his hands.

"Holy crap," Norivana agreed, raising her brows, "He is fantastic."

Eko appeared suddenly, walking over to them from the temple and patting both Aitto and Norivana on the backs. "Cool guy, huh?" he said with a tusk-y grin.

"Very," Norivana grinned, and Eko smiled.

"While he talks to Edoril, why don't I show ya around the village?"

Norivana glanced around behind her and saw Lucian sitting - more like basking - in the sunlight outside the temple. She shook her head at Eko, "Thanks, but I'll pass." She smiled at him and then went to join Lucian, and Eko and Aitto turned down a winding path that led into dense jungle.

Norivana sat down next to Lucian, and he looked over at her and gave her a smile, his furry chin almost shimmering in the sunlight. "How'd it go?"

"Great," she said, "We didn't exactly say much, but he got his point across."

He shrugged, "I like him. He's a smart guy with his head on straight, and that in itself is a rarity."

"No kidding," Norivana agreed, sighing once.

Lucian closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the stone temple, with his knees pulled up and his forearms resting upon them, hands draping down toward the ground. He held a long blade of grass in his fingers, twirling it around absentmindedly and breathing slow and steady, relaxing in the sun. Norivana just stared at him, wondering how in the world she'd managed to catch this man. He was kind, intelligent, loving, and strong, not to mention quite nice to look at. Beautiful in every way she could think of.

She watched him for a long time, until she realized his mouth had curled into a humorous smile, and his eyes, although closed, had crinkled at the edges in amusement.

"Like what you see?" he smiled, still keeping his eyes shut and relaxing against the temple.

Norivana glanced away quickly, smirking to herself. "Who wouldn't?"

He raised his head off the temple and glanced over at her, his eyes dancing, "Are you hitting on me?"

"Maybe," she laughed, "Am I allowed to?"

"Maybe," he responded with a shrug and a teasing smile, "If it pleases me," he joked and leaned back against the temple, closing his eyes again.

"If it pleases you?" she giggled, "Shall I ask the almighty Lucian for permission before I compliment him?"

"Mmm," he hummed, "Almighty Lucian. I like it."

Norivana shook her head, still laughing at him. "You're a dork."

"You still love me," he joked, and Norivana's heart skipped a beat for a moment.

"Yeah, I do," she became a little more serious, but kept her smile, blinking once and staring at the ground. She was one hundred percent head-over-heels for this man, and there was no denying it now.

He turned his head toward her, looking at her sideways, "Say that again."

"No," she laughed, pulling her knees up close, "I already did."

"But I liked it," he smiled, reaching out and tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear, "And I want to hear you say it." He was now looking at her full-on, having sat up forward away from the wall.

Norivana tightened her jaw, her heart jumping. "Fine." She leaned her own head back against the wall, fidgeting her fingers and staring at her hands. "I... love you."

Suddenly Lucian tackled her to the ground and claimed her lips, kissing her intensely and with more yearning passion than she'd ever thought possible. This, she thought, was the response she'd been hoping for. She reached up and curled her hands into his silky silver hair, feeling his smile against her lips. He pulled away, staring down at her with an adorable smirk, his eyes showing such true joy and triumph. "I love you too," he said quietly, planting one more kiss on her lips before sitting back up.

Norivana sat up too, blinking a few times in pleased surprise. "I should say that more often, if that's the response I get," she huffed, feeling a little out of breath, along with an intense feeling of euphoria.

Lucian wiggled his brows at her, "I certainly wouldn't mind it."

Giggling, Norivana stood. "Let's go explore. Edoril and Vol'jin will probably be talking for a while."

Lucian hopped to his feet in an instant, taking Norivana's hand in his without hesitation and tugging her along the dirt path. He seemed so determined in his walk, Norivana began laughing.

"Where are we going?" she chuckled, nearly having to jog to keep up with his pace.

He jumped a little at her words and slowed down, laughing at himself. "Whoops, sorry," he grinned, "I'm just... In a really good mood."

Norivana could only guess this was thanks to their little interaction earlier, and she smiled. "Same here."

He squeezed her hand and then glanced around at the treetops, which sported long vines and thick leaves that soaked up and blocked out the sunlight from hitting the jungle floor. They walked until they reached the far end of the island, from which the temples and nearly all signs of Troll life had been hidden by the forest. There was a layer of sand between the forest and the seawater, and they walked along the coast, breathing the fresh sea air and indulging in the sunlight.

Lucian was just in the process of saying something about how it'd probably be near nighttime before it was time to leave, when suddenly he stopped in his tracks, his face going slack and eyes shutting, then fell to his knees and collapsed into the sand.

"Lucian!" Norivana shrieked, kneeling down beside him and rolling him over to face upwards, searching for any sign of injury. Nothing seemed wrong, other than the fact that he was completely unresponsive and showed no signs of waking up any time soon. Norivana realized what'd happened, because she'd seen it before. It was a paralysis curse, one that immobilizes its victim for a short amount of time. She whipped her head up, searching for Lucian's attacker, and her eyes rested on three burly orcs standing about twenty yards back. They were wearing Orgrimmar tabards and were decked out in the same armor used to supply Hellscream's troops, so she could only guess they were his.

She stood, seething, and glared at them, at the same time vanishing into thin air. They startled at that, obviously having thought that she being the smaller one would be the easiest to take down. But now they couldn't see her, and they were backing up slowly, glancing from side to side, hoping to catch a glimpse of her so they could blast her with a curse as well.

Norivana noted one was a Warlock, and the other two were decked out in heavy armor that shouted Warrior. She slid up behind them, knowing that if she could take out the Warlock first, the other two would be easier. Fighting against melee was much easier than magic.

She heard Lucian stirring and knew she didn't have much time. And when the Warlock sent another curse at her beloved elf, her rage boiled over. This time it wasn't such a benign curse either, because Lucian arched his back almost unnaturally, letting out a strangled cry of pain and gripping his hands down into the sand at his sides, held almost entirely immobile. Norivana's heart lurched into her throat, her vision turning red and mind going nearly completely blank, save one word that overrode every other conscious thought: Kill. No one lays a finger (or a curse) upon Lucian without having her to answer to.

She gripped her daggers tightly in her hands, then jammed both points straight into the head of the Warlock. Blood spurted out in multiple directions, disconcerting the two Warriors and causing them to take a few steps back, staring in horror at the Warlock who was sinking down toward the ground, eyes rolled back and skull spouting the dark red liquid like a faucet. Norivana then came after another Warrior, eyes half-crazed and weapons swinging dangerously near his neck. He dodged back and deflected her attacks with his own two-handed axe while the other Orc came at her from behind, nearly impaling her with his own sword if not for her quick reaction.

Norivana let out a war cry and rolled to the side, jamming one blade straight into the back of one Orc's knee through a weak spot in his armor and causing him to roar out in pain and buckle to his knees, dropping his spiked axe beside him. She retracted her dagger and finished off the man in one clean slice to the neck, then turned her attention onto the final Orc.

They circled for a moment, him glancing down at his two dead comrades a few times and her holding a glare so cold it could freeze fire. The man swung his sword out in a large arc, and Norivana could hear the metallic 'swoosh' it made as it sliced through open air. She dodged backward, letting the sword nearly graze the armor near her chest, then quick-stepped to the side, jamming her blades forward in an attempt to hit him through an opening in his armor. He expected it, though, and the next moment she received an elbow straight to the head, causing her to careen backward and land flat on her butt.

Panting, she tried to get her eyes to focus as the Orc glared down at her, raising his massive sword to finish her off as her head swam fiercely. A loud roar beckoned both of their attention, however, and within a split-second, a monstrous silver feline had crushed its jaws around the Orc's neck and shoulder, using their momentum to take both Lucian and his prey through the air. Lucian let go of the Orc mid-air and let it sail twenty feet ahead while he himself landed on all fours, snarling ferociously in a roar loud enough to be heard from miles around.

The Orc smashed into the sand, sliding to a stop and lying limp. Lucian turned his big, furry head toward Norivana and somehow his savage eyes softened, if that was even possible in his cat form. He came padding over to her, phasing out halfway through and knelt down beside her, placing one hand under her neck and the other at her side. Her mind was clearing, and she finally came to her senses as he pressed a finger and a thumb to her temples, letting a healing spell spread into her throbbing head.

She took a deep breath and looked back at the Orcs, eyes wide with leftover adrenaline and heart beating a mile a minute. "Where the hell did they come from?" she breathed.

"They were Hellscream's, but that doesn't explain why they're here," Lucian mused, helping Norivana stand and glancing down at the two she'd already killed. He gave her an almost sheepish smile, "Thanks for saving me back there."

"Thanks for saving _me_ back there," she laughed, looking at the man Lucian had chucked far across the beach. To her surprise, the creature stirred a little before falling limp again against the ground. Her eyes widened. "He's still alive."

Lucian jerked his head up, staring in the direction of the Orc. He took off in a jog, coming to a stop beside the unconscious creature and kneeling down to inspect him. The Orc was breathing shallow, raspy breaths, his entire left shoulder and part of his chest completely crushed inward, armor and all. Lucian's jaws had done a number on this guy.

"What should we do with him?" Norivana wondered aloud as she caught up, glancing around at the Jungle, wondering where they'd take him if they decided to let him live.

"Well, I say we take him to Vol'jin," Lucian replied, tensing his brows and frowning as the Orc's eyes cracked open slightly, his mouth spilling blood down the side of his cheek.

"He doesn't look like he'll survive another five minutes," Norivana mumbled, "I don't think he'll be much use to Vol'jin if he's dead."

Lucian was one step ahead of her though, and he'd already sent a mild healing spell to the Orc, healing the man's major injuries but leaving the little ones unattended. He didn't have to be _completely_ fine. After all, the creature had almost killed Lucian's girl.

Lucian pulled the now conscious Orc to his feet, and Norivana sort of had to gush at how much taller Lucian was than the other man. He was at least three heads ahead, possibly more, tall, shining, and handsome.

Lucian then grabbed the man's burly wrists, yanking them behind the guy and tying them with a stray bandage from Norivana's pack, seeing as he didn't have any rope lying around. He then nudged the man to walk, and Norivana was surprised at the creature's compliance. He hadn't fought back once since he'd been awakened, and that put Norivana on edge.

Either way, though, he was going to answer for whatever reason he'd come to the Troll chief's home and attacked Norivana and Lucian. The pair, both sporting a nice amount of Orc blood across their armor, waltzed the man back into the camp, at which many of the guards reacted by surrounding the three of them, holding their weapons out threateningly.

One of the guards spoke up, "What's dis about?"

Lucian sighed and ran a hand through his own hair, "We were out walking and got attacked by a party of Orcs. This one survived, so we're taking him in here for you guys to deal with him."

The guard studied them for a moment, then said something in Zandali and the others lowered their weapons. "Very well," the man said, "Hand him over. We'll take it from here."

Lucian gladly passed the Orc over, who held a somber frown and a dejected look in his eyes.

"I'm surprised he hasn't fought back," Norivana mumbled, pursing her lips.

"Probably because he knows he has nowhere else to go," Lucian replied, sighing almost sympathetically, "If he were to run back to Hellscream, he'd be executed."

"I hate that man," Norivana said after a moment, walking back over to where she and Lucian had been sitting by the temple earlier, "I hate him so, so much."

Lucian placed a hand onto her shoulder, gripping it through the armor and shaking his head once, "You and me both, 'Vana."

Norivana gave him a weak smile, then grimaced at the state of her armor. It was splattered with blood and sand. "I need to wash this off," she complained, and Lucian chuckled as he spoke, "Mine's in better condition than yours."

He was right. The only blood he'd managed to receive was on his beard, (from when he'd bitten the Orc) and a little down his chest. Norivana had it all over her arms, shoulders, and some near her knees and belt. That was the bad part about being a rogue; you were always fighting close enough to get caught in the crossfire of your own attacks. It was probably worse for Lucian, though, because he had to actually _bite_ his enemies. Ew.

"Do you prefer to fight in your cat form or with spells?" Norivana asked him curiously as she sat down, and he joined her side, plopping himself beside her.

"Cat form, definitely," he replied, "Much faster, stronger, and safer. I've got a pretty tough hide, plus the hair itself is like armor. It may seem soft, but against a sharp blade, it is surprisingly strong."

"Hmm," Norivana nodded, raising her brows, "I didn't know that."

"It's convenient," he mused, leaning his head back yet again against the temple. He smiled, still closing his eyes, "Maybe we should just stick to this spot for now."

"And not go exploring for Orc assassins," she replied with a forced laugh, "I was actually pretty scared back there."

"Scared?" he asked as he raised his head, instinctively scooting a little closer to her and placing an arm around her, pulling her to him, "How come?"

"Because I saw them attacking you and I thought you weren't going to make it," she replied in an almost whisper, and he habitually stroked his fingers through her hair.

"I thought the same about you," he murmured, "I don't want you worrying about me. I want you to focus on your own safety. I'm thankful you saved me, but if for some reason I hadn't gotten there in time, I don't know what would've happened. I might've lost you." He practically shuddered at his own words.

Norivana shrugged in his arms, "I can't _not_ care about you, Lucian. If there's any chance for me to help, I'll do it."

He frowned at her. "But what if you get yourself killed? Norivana, I can't stress this enough-"

Norivana cut him off. "Well, think of what you'd have done in my position, Lucian. You and I both know you'd do the exact same thing as me."

He paused, his silence almost deafening. Norivana glanced up at him, and he had his jaw tight, his eyes strained and tense. "Yes, but," he sighed, "That's different."

"No it's really not," Norivana chided, "It's not different at all. Your feelings for me don't override mine for you. You're being a hypocrite, Lucian."

Lucian finally let out a resigned sigh, reaching over with one hand and bracing a finger under her chin, gently turning her head up to his and looking into her eyes intently, "If it comes to your safety, I'll be the biggest damn hypocrite on the face of Azeroth."

Norivana finally slumped her shoulders, seeing the absolute, pure sincerity in the stubborn man's eyes. There was no convincing him, and for some reason, instead of this making her more upset, it acted as a balm for her anger. She leaned into him, relenting. He tightened his hold around her and placed his chin on the top of her head.

"I love you, Norivana," he said, and Norivana bit her lip, feeling tears prick at her eyes at the tone of his voice. He sounded almost hurt. He continued, "There isn't a single thing in the world that could keep me from that."

Norivana curled her arms around his torso as well, both of them sitting and leaning back against the temple wall, staring into the jungle forest. Lucian abstractly ran his fingers through her hair again, and they stayed like that for quite a while until Aitto and Eko came jogging over into view.

Eko took in their appearances and raised his brows, "What happened?" he asked, his eyes lingering on the blood that was still dried across their armor.

"Orcs," Norivana said cryptically, and both Eko and Aitto tensed up.

"We saw the one in the jail," Aitto almost growled, "They attacked you?"

Lucian spoke up this time, "We kicked butt, don't worry." He winked at Norivana as he stood up, and she joined him.

Eko shrugged, "Well, I'm glad ya did. Vol'jin is gonna interrogate him."

"Perfect," Norivana smiled, "Glad our captive could be of some use."

"Mmhm," Eko hummed, then cocked his head, "Aitto and I just ate. You two hungry?"

It wasn't until now that Norivana realized how incredibly hungry she really was. "Yes, very," she answered almost immediately, and Eko beamed.

"Let's give you two the full jungle experience, then," he grinned, then beckoned them with a wave of his hand and started down a path that wove around behind the main building.

"Uh," Norivana laughed, "That doesn't actually sound all that appetizing."

Lucian grinned down at her, placing his arm over her shoulder, "Oh, I don't know," he shrugged playfully, "I for one would _love_ a full jungle experience."

Aitto chuckled deeply. "Come on, you two. The food is great."

Thus they went, off to try out Eko's full jungle experience.


	24. Farewell

**Sorry this chapter's late-ish as well. What with school starting and such, I got a bit held-up on the story.**

**I occasionally go through and read some of my previous chapters in order to keep my mind fresh and to avoid inconsistencies, and oh my goodness, I feel so bad for you readers. I have so many typos! How on earth I missed all of those, I don't know. But they're occasionally so ridiculous I catch myself laughing. I just gotta say, thank you all for bearing with me on my typo frenzy...**

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**Review Responses:**

**Arenhai: I think if I include any more fluff it'll suffocate me. The thing is, I'll be happy in the process.. xD**

**peachycupcake: I posted it! Hoo-rah!**

**Zarabethe: I had lots of fun with her kick-ass scene! :D**

**Connet: History has been made, now I require a place in the hall of fame. *sniff* I've never been so proud..!**

**Rock On: I... HOW DID YOU-.. I didn't even see the new reviews until I began replying to them just now... Whew, talk about irony. You're the new psychic of Fanfiction, it's decided. Maybe I should try to be super unpredictable and throw in plot twists like confetti! ;D**

**ForGG: Of course there will be! :D I merely had to set a precedence of dislike toward Garrosh's men. Anyway, that's what Thrall's off doing, as long as my sources are correct. He went to seek out members of his people who weren't sided with Garrosh.**

**Raistlin: Forgot your password? D: That sucks! I'd probably curl up in a ball and cry if that happened to me... Anyway, I've got most of my Alliance on Sargeras and my Horde on Anub'Arak. Actually, I think I've got one on Darkspear as well! Er, unless I deleted it. That's possible. x)**

**gunner4555: Thank you a thousand, bazillion times for that glorious review! That completely made my day. :D I'm so glad you enjoy it.. I was really hoping my take on the King and Vol'jin would keep them in character; from what I'd read and experienced with them, they truly aren't hateful toward the other factions, nor would they turn down someone who truly, innocently sought out their aid. Especially Varian. I mean come on, he's human, after all. ;D**

**NyteKnight: Ohmigod, WHAT? YES! September 10th cannot get here sooner! My life is complete! This also means no more sluggish updates. :D **

**Aeschielle: And what's even WORSE? The level 90's have begun infesting the lower level PVP-enabled questing areas and now they hunt the lowbies like rabbits. HORRIBLE, I SAY! JUST HORRIBLE! I also, for one, don't particularly care for cross-realm zones... Solely for that reason. **

**Anyways. Next chaptah.**

**Enjoy!**

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Night was approaching, and the sun was nearing the horizon and had cast an orange glow across everything in its path, when Norivana, Lucian, Aitto, Eko, and many other Trolls were sitting around a large fire, resting after their meal and still waiting for Vol'jin and Edoril to wrap up their conference. Norivana was in the middle of telling Lucian a story about when she was extremely young, one of her only real memories of when she lived in Silvermoon.

It was a simple one, a memory of her sitting at a table with her pregnant Mage mother smiling at her, a transparent look that barely managed to mask the regret in the woman's eyes. Though her parents had never shown her anything but love, Norivana had always known how disappointed they were that their daughter held no magical capabilities at all. That fact had been proven correct when, right after her little sister was born, they'd sent her off at the age of seven to live in a highly-esteemed, expensive training facility of sorts, which was almost like a school for the magically-impaired. That's where she'd learned her Rogue abilities, and that's also where she'd lived, up until she reached the age of eleven, which was when her father finally decided to send her to train in the actual military. So more or less, combat training was all she'd ever known.

As she spoke, a tiny bluish purple berry plinked against Norivana's forehead, causing her to startle and pause mid-sentence, glancing around for her unconventional attacker. The campfire in front of her crackled comfortingly as she discovered the source of the tiny projectile. A young troll girl who couldn't possibly be older than ten was giving Norivana a mischievous look, biting her tongue, and squinting her adorably-large crimson eyes.

Lucian, who was sitting beside Norivana and had been listening to her story up until she'd been hit with the fruit, noticed the girl as well and began chuckling his low, amused laugh, and he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He gave the little girl an expectant, playful look. His voice sounded almost foreign as he spoke in soft Zandali to her, and she giggled loudly and skipped over to him, holding out one tiny fist in front of her. Lucian quirked one brow at the girl and offered a broad hand, and the little Troll proceeded to drop an entire handful of berries into his gigantic palm.

Lucian's face lit up in almost exaggerated excitement and he leaned forward a little more, whispering something into the little Troll's ear. The girl began giggling again and said something back, at which Lucian sent Norivana a devilish smile and then returned about half the little fruits back into the girl's hand.

Norivana gave Lucian a queer look just in time for both Lucian and the little troll to pelt her with the tiny pea-sized berries. Norivana let out a squeak of both surprise and laughter and held up her arms over her face, blocking the barrage with almost no success. She picked up one of them and chucked it back at Lucian, who laughed louder and ducked, right as the little Troll suddenly betrayed her snowy-haired accomplice and began chucking the fruit at him as well. Norivana and her new sidekick giggled in unison as they turned on Lucian, bombarding him with purple pebbles.

"HEY!" Lucian chortled, bracing his forearms over his face and trying to dodge, which only made him topple off balance and fall backwards off of the log he'd been sitting on, leaving him sprawled out backwards into the grass and ferns behind them. He made no attempt to get back up, just laughed even harder and put his palms to his forehead. Norivana grinned widely, stretching herself out and bracing on one arm so that she could place herself beside him.

She stared down at him, giving him a triumphant smile as he continued to chuckle, resting his head in the grass.

"There's a lesson in that somewhere," she said amusedly.

"Yeah, it's never trust a miniature Troll," he grinned, then shot the little girl an entertained look and said something in Zandali, at which the girl snickered and skipped away.

"Nah, I was going to say something more like 'Norivana is awesome'," Norivana grinned, "But that works too."

"I learned _that_ lesson long, long ago, kiddo," Lucian laughed, reaching up and giving Norivana a noogie, despite her attempts at dodging. He sat up easily, shifting back onto the log and turning his amused golden gaze at her while she attempted to smooth her hair back out.

The two of them by now had changed out of and cleaned their dirty, bloody armor and were now wearing much more comfortable sets of silk and cotton while their leather dried. Norivana glanced over at Aitto, who was sitting across from her by the fire, listening to Eko chatter about something that was apparently very funny. Many of the Trolls surrounding them were laughing hysterically, the sound carrying up through the trees and the forest, lightening the mood of the dwindling day.

She felt a big arm place itself around her shoulder, and she leaned against its owner, indulging in his comforting scent of rain and earth. Lucian rested his chin on her head and they both listened to Eko's story, and Norivana couldn't help but let a smile cover her face at the sheer animated hilarity of the young Troll's actions. He was grinning widely, flailing his hands about and making such intense, engrossed facial expressions that Norivana wondered how one person's face could be so versatile. His story itself was entertaining, despite the fact that she had no idea what he was talking about. the words 'faceplanted' and 'vomit' reached her ears and she couldn't help but laugh, and she felt Lucian's shoulder quaking with laughter as well and knew it was partially due to the reactions Eko was getting out of his listeners.

"He should get paid to talk," Norivana giggled, and Lucian chuckled as well.

"I think the attention in itself is his fuel."

Norivana watched as Lucian's words proved truth. Eko seemed to feed off of the reactions of the people around him, a true entertainer. Norivana yawned widely, relaxing a little more against the wall of a man beside her, who wrapped her a little tighter and allowed her to begin to doze off, her eyes drooping lazily as the sky began to darken through the tropical tree canopy.

A hand brushing the hair from her face brought Norivana back to full consciousness, and she thought only moments had passed and that she was still beside the fire, until she realized she'd been carried over and placed onto an empty hammock. It was fully nighttime, and crickets and exotic amphibians could be heard throughout the forest. She initially expected Lucian's face to greet her sight when she opened her eyes, but instead it was shiny black fur and green, friendly eyes that reflected the firelight of a small torch that burned softly to the side.

"Hey Aitto," she mumbled quietly, smiling at him and rubbing her groggy eyes, "What time is it? Is Edoril ready to go?"

"It's pretty late. Edoril is going to wait to leave until tomorrow morning," Aitto said softly, "Don't worry. You can go back to sleep."

"Where's everyone else?" she wondered, glancing around and realizing the two of them were alone underneath a woven shelter.

"Some are sleeping, others are still by the campfire."

"What about Lucian?" Norivana questioned almost instinctively, not even taking note that now it was an almost necessity for her to keep track of his whereabouts. As long as he was fine, she was happy.

Aitto smiled a knowing smile, almost laughing, "He's by the campfire as well."

Norivana nodded silently, and Aitto continued to speak, "So, you two are actually pretty serious now, huh?"

Norivana smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders, turning so her feet dangled over the edge of the hammock, causing the thing to wobble. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"It's about time," Aitto chuckled, reaching up and scratching his chin.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Norivana grinned, swinging her feet a little.

"I sense people's feelings, 'Vana," he quirked a brow, "I think I knew your affections before you did."

Norivana raised her own brows. "I never even thought of that. I suppose that'd be weird for you." She smirked and nudged his arm.

"It was more... suspenseful," he shrugged.

"That makes sense," Norivana mumbled, rubbing her tired eyes again. Aitto shifted a little, looking like he was on the verge of saying something but hesitated.

"What's up?" Norivana cocked her head at him, and he shrugged.

"I..." He began, chewing on his lip once before glancing to the side. "So, Eko suggested something earlier, and I think I'm going to take him up on the offer."

"What offer?" Norivana asked him lightly, interested.

"By request of Vol'jin, he's going to go to Sylvanas soon. And I'm going to go with him." Aitto looked a little sad, and Norivana pursed her lips.

"So you won't come back with us to Stormwind tomorrow then?" She immediately made the connection as to why Aitto was reluctant to tell her. He probably thought she'd get upset, an incorrect assumption, however still understandable.

"I... won't be coming back to Stormwind at all," Aitto muttered, "I'm staying here with Eko and the Trolls."

"Oh," Norivana frowned, but quickly masked her frown with a transparent smile.

"Yeah," he nodded, and Norivana bit the inside of her lips.

"Well, I can say I'm going to miss the ever-living hell out of you," she half-laughed.

Aitto fidgeted. "It'll probably only be a month or so, and then we'll see each other again. But I'll be staying here with the Trolls, even after that. However, I didn't want to stay if you'd get upset about it."

Norivana sighed. She wasn't upset about it; in fact, she knew it was only a matter of time before this came. She and Aitto had been growing apart for a while now - not in the sense that they weren't as good of friends, rather that they truly had been heading in separate directions. Slowly, but still. He was now veering toward the Trolls, and she was with the Night Elves. Specifically, Lucian. In retrospect, it made sense.

"Aitto, upset with you is the last thing I am feeling... I'm sad to leave you, yes, but you're right. It's not goodbye forever." Norivana bit her lip, feeling her throat tighten and doing her best to keep from letting her emotions surface, even though she knew the Tauren could read her like a book. "I'm so glad you've managed to make friends and find your place. I think this'll be perfect for you."

Aitto's jaw pulsed once and he gave her a weak smile. "I do too. These people... They've welcomed me with open arms. I just don't fit in well enough in that stone city for it to be considered as a home. I hope you'll understand that."

"I do," Norivana stood up, now unable to keep her emotions in check, and she let tears pull at her eyes, trickling down her cheeks while she wrapped her arms around her oldest, closest friend. "I love you, Aitto," she mumbled, letting her first sob wrack her body and tightening her hug.

The massive Tauren wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulder and the other hand on the back of her head, holding her in a hug. "I love you more, 'Vana. I will miss you so, so much."

Norivana almost couldn't believe she was actually suddenly saying goodbye to her Tauren. He'd been attached to her side for over ten years, and now that was going to end. She just let herself cry, venting her goodbye in her companion's arms and knowing his choice was the best thing for him. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay beside her forever as her shield, her brother, her other half. But she knew he didn't deserve to live in a place where half the population viewed him as a monster, despite the pardon he'd received from their king. He'd be happier here, with his new, great friend Eko, who she knew was going to be loads of help when it came to transitioning to Vol'jin's tribe. In short, this was going to be perfect for him.

A long time elapsed with them just standing there, wordless understanding passing between the two of them. They'd never forget each other, never lose even a fraction of the friendship they'd built after spending half their lives together.

Norivana, tears now dry and nose feeling slightly stuffy, sniffed once. "I feel like we haven't talked in forever."

"We sort of haven't," he shrugged, sitting down on the dirt floor of the hut. Norivana followed his lead, sitting cross-legged and absentmindedly running her fingers in a zig-zag pattern against the loose dust on the ground.

"Despite how... black and white life seemed a year ago," Norivana began after a silent moment, thinking deeply, "I much prefer this. Even though we're building up to a war... I can't imagine being on the other side."

Aitto huffed. "Mm," he hummed in agreement. "Once it's over, as long as luck is in our favor and we win this war, what are you going to do?"

"I don't really know," Norivana blinked, "I never really thought that far into it."

"Well... We left the Horde because of Garrosh. If he's not there anymore, there's a possibility we'll be allowed back in. Would you come back? Or would you retain your allegiance to the King?" He asked.

Norivana almost couldn't even imagine what she'd do. Staying with the Alliance would present a more difficult issue, in the sense that she'd have to work her entire life at convincing more-or-less anyone who challenged her that she was on their side. It'd be a chore, that's for sure. But then again, she couldn't not take Lucian into consideration. He had his home set up in Stormwind. Her home. He was a part of her life, whether she'd intended it or not. She would never, ever be able to get rid of him, even if she wanted to - which she most definitely, assuredly did not.

When he didn't get a reply, Aitto spoke up, voicing his thoughts. "Depending on who takes on the Warchief's responsibilities, I may move back into Orgrimmar; if not, I'll probably stay here in Southern Durotar... Either that or check out Mulgore and Thunder Bluff. I haven't been there in a long time. For all I know, it may be nice to be around my own people."

"Yeah," Norivana replied, pursing her lips, "I think I would stay in Stormwind," Norivana replied, surprising herself with her answer. Orgrimmar was not her home, Silvermoon was not her home, nowhere but that little orchard in Stormwind could be called by that title now. Home was where her new life was. Her new friends. She was loyal to Varian Wrynn, the man who had, despite her background and everything she'd done, welcomed her into his city.

"I know you would," Aitto commented, smiling, "I was just wondering if you'd come to terms with that fact or not."

"I suppose I have," she mused.

"You truly do love him," Aitto said after a few beats, "Lucian I mean."

"Yeah," Norivana shrugged, half-smiling, "I do."

Aitto shook his head once. "Norivana, I'd never have guessed you would actually settle down somewhere because of another person."

"I didn't either."

"It's refreshing," Aitto smiled, "It makes me happy knowing that despite your past you can still let people in."

"It's as much of a surprise to me as it is for you," Norivana laughed, shrugging.

Aitto yawned widely, "Well, you know I want nothing but the best for you, 'Vana, and I think Lucian is a great man. He's good for you."

Norivana smiled at him. "That means a lot, Aitto."

Aitto stood, stretching out his limbs. "Anywho, I need to sleep. I'll see you in the morning before you go, Norivana. You should rest as well."

"Night, big guy," Norivana stood and hugged her friend again, willing herself not to let her grief from earlier resurface. It's not like she'd never see him again, but goodbyes are always hard. Even so, she buried the thoughts to wait until the morning. Right now, she wanted to sleep.

Aitto left, leaving big hoofprints in the dirt as he went, and Norivana crawled back onto the hammock, doing her best not to wobble in the unstable bed. She finally managed to curl up, listening to the jungle life teeming through the darkness as she fell into slumber.

* * *

Although Norivana had gotten used to the idea that Aitto wouldn't be returning with them in the morning, it was still strange when she stepped through Edoril's portal into Stormwind and realized that everyone who was coming back was already there. Lucian and Edoril had already gone through the portal, leaving only her. They'd left with five, and returned with only three.

Norivana wiped a sleeve under her eyes, dabbing the tears that had streaked them. She'd convinced herself she wouldn't cry when she left Aitto, seeing as normally in front of so many people her instinct would be to act with a heart of stone. But this was different; this was Aitto she was leaving, not just some guy.

Right before the portal closed, she glanced back through, catching a murky, warped vision of her closest companion fading from view. She let out a shuddering sigh laced with an almost sob, and a strong arm placed itself around her in response. Lucian's presence was oddly soothing, a balm for the ravaged, gaping emptiness left in Aitto's wake.

Norivana scolded herself as she walked alongside the two elves, both of whom were talking to each other while Norivana stayed under Lucian's wing. Aitto wasn't dead. He wasn't gone forever. Lucian had gone through the loss of so many of his friends, and he had still done a lot better than she was doing right now. She could only guess how much Lucian would give to be in the same situation as her when it came to Unaril and Gladia and the other elves he'd lost. She hadn't even technically lost her friend. Norivana knew she was being childish, but no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't quite shake the sadness she felt toward leaving her Tauren behind.

Even so, more out of respect for Lucian than anything else, Norivana bucked up and quit crying. Honestly, she was feeling kind of stupid for being such a blubbering mess, and she really didn't feel like making this whole day a pity party for herself when really she should be happy for her friend for finding a home. She stood a little straighter, walking with more purpose and causing Lucian to glance over at her momentarily, flashing a dazzling white smile before turning back to his father as they walked through the streets of the city.

The streets themselves were still wet from the heavy downpour that'd taken place for apparently the entire previous day, and above them the clouds still dipped low into the surrounding mountains and cast grey, bluish shadows across the world. However, Norivana thought, the rainy, overcast day was less gloomy and more... peaceful. Until she'd moved from Orgrimmar, rain was scarce, and therefore in her opinion it seemed much more precious.

She took in a deep breath, indulging in the cool, moist air and the misty wind that blew through the city. In an attempt to get her mind off things, Norivana began paying close attention to the people around her. They were currently walking through the Cathedral district, which was named as such due to the gigantic Cathedral of Light that rose from the stone pavement, standing tall and proud in the center of the city. Norivana craned her neck to look up at the tall, looming towers of the massive building, the whole sight giving her a wave of vertigo. Dark-feathered birds rose up off the building right as thunder echoed throughout the sky, notifying the city's inhabitants of another imminent storm. Right now, what Norivana wanted was to curl up in warm covers and drink some sort of hot beverage, seeing as that was one of the best things to do in a storm and something she rarely had the luxury of taking the time to do.

A breeze gusted through the streets again, spraying everyone in its path with misty, rain-promising wind. Norivana wrapped her arms around herself, tensing her shoulders and inhaling a slow, deep breath, then letting it out through her teeth. To her side, she almost didn't notice a small dejected-looking boy plodding through the streets.

"Anyone... Anyone at all? Please?" he called out, and Norivana stopped abruptly, causing Lucian's arm that'd been resting around her shoulders slide off, and in turn making him stop to see what she was up to. She approached the child, kneeling down beside him as he turned to inspect her.

"Do you need help?" Norivana asked him, looking concerned. He looked like he was alone, save for a crate in his hands.

His innocent eyes bulged out for a second while he took in her appearance, and she lowered her hood, placing it on her shoulders and allowing the boy to see her face.

"You don't look like the girls around here," he exclaimed, raising his brows.

Norivana chuckled and cocked her head, "What are you doing out here in the streets in the rain? You're all alone!"

He lifted up the crate in his hands, "I'm not allowed to keep her. Dad's orders. I've got to sell her."

Norivana raised a brow and inspected the crate, and realized inside was a tiny, fluffy white kitten. She couldn't fully see the creature due to the crate, however. "Do you mind?" Norivana motioned to take the kitten out, and the little boy shrugged.

"Go ahead," he said, reaching up and scratching the top of his blonde head.

Norivana opened the little door and reached in, pulling out the tiny, incredibly soft ball of fur. Lucian was behind her, and he obviously hadn't seen the kitten yet because he called out, "Norivana, what's up?"

She glanced behind her, noting that both elves were standing off about ten yards, waiting for her to catch up with them. She held up one hand.

"One moment!" she called out, then looked back at the purring kitten in her arms. In a weird way, the tiny creature almost looked familiar. Then, it hit her: the kitten looked just like Lucian's cat form. There was now no way she'd pass up this little kitten now.

The boy shifted a little, "So," he mumbled, "Do you want to buy her?"

Norivana smiled at the kid, "Definitely."

The little boy's eyes lit up. "Great! My dad will be pleased."

With one free hand, Norivana reached into her pack and pulled out her coin purse, still kneeling down beside the little boy. "How much?"

"Sixty silver is what Dad said," the blonde child stated, holding out one tiny palm.

Norivana gave the boy a genuine smile and instead pulled out a whole gold sovereign, plopping the currency into his hand. His entire face seemed to lift out of its gloom and he gave Norivana an incredulous look.

"Y-you gave me a gold," he stuttered, "She's only sixty silver."

Norivana reached out and closed the boy's fingers around the coin. "I know!" She smiled, "Keep the change."

The tiny, delicate fluffy kitten in Norivana's arm meowed, a tiny, adorable sound, and she scratched the little creature's ears as she stood up, thanking the little boy one last time before she turned around to catch up with Lucian and Edoril.

Norivana approached the two elves, both of whom had looks of confusion etched on their face as they inspected the tiny white creature in her arms.

"Where did he come from?" Lucian blinked, staring at the little feline.

"She." Norivana corrected him. "She's a girl. And I just adopted her."

Edoril let out a chuckle, laughing at the Blood Elf, "You're almost as spontaneous as Lucian," he mused, "And that's saying something."

Lucian, still blinking in mild surprise, reached out and gently rubbed the kitten's ears, and the little creature meowed its tiny meow. A smile crept onto Lucian's face, and he glanced at Norivana, "Can I hold her?"

Norivana giggled at the way Lucian had suddenly melted and handed the kitten over, which fit easily in just one of Lucian's giant hands. Lucian held and petted the kitten the entire way back to the northern orchard, cooing at the little fluffball and letting his feline side take over. For a moment, Norivana could've sworn she heard the guy _purr_.

"So I take it you like her," Norivana smirked as they waved goodbye to Edoril, who had much to discuss with Varian.

Lucian glanced up from looking at the kitten, and he grinned. "She's ridiculously cute."

"What do you want to name her?" Norivana asked, reaching out and running her fingers over the little cat's soft snowy fur.

Lucian shrugged. "Something cliché…" he thought for a moment, "Snowball works."

"Snowball?" Norivana laughed, having thought Lucian would've chosen some sort of cool, elusive, obscure name that meant something epic in a dead language or whatever. But no, Snowball took the cake. "That _is _ cliché."

"It fits her though, doesn't it?" he smirked, scratching the purring kitten's chin.

"Like a glove."

"Welcome to the tribe, Snowball," Lucian announced as they stepped into the hollow druids' tree. Snowball meowed and began kneading her paws against Lucian's leather bracers on his wrists, sinking her tiny needle-like claws into the material and purring.

Lucian and Norivana ascended the circular ramp that rose up through the tree, passing different levels of rooms as they went. Norivana finally reached hers and stopped in, finally allowing herself to relax again and flopping herself down onto her bed lazily, pulling her armor off and then letting her arms sprawl out to her sides and her knees dangle over the edge of the bed. She sat like that for a long time while Lucian slowly set to removing his own armor, knowing that today would probably be a lazy day and the armor was entirely unnecessary. He set Snowball on the bed next to Norivana, and the little kitten crawled over and planted herself right onto Norivana's forehead, blocking her eyesight and making the elf erupt in giggles.

Lucian saw what the kitten was doing as well and began chuckling, and he walked over after he'd shucked his armor and collapsed beside them on the bed. He folded his hands over his torso and let his legs hang over the edge of the bed also, though due to his height, his toes touched the floor.

The two of them listened to the thunder echo outside, relaxing indoors with their new furball and dozing side-by-side in the large, cool room. Norivana yawned widely now that Snowball had taken leave of her face, and she stretched out, glancing over to look at the man beside her. To her surprise, he'd completely dozed off and was snoozing quietly, face peaceful and lips slightly parted, the epitome of relaxed.

Slowly, she eased off the bed, allowing Snowball to teeter over next to Lucian's shoulder and curl up beside him. Norivana was in the mood for some hot tea, so she tiptoed out of her room, stopping in the doorway to turn and glance back at her elf and her kitten, both of whom were curled up on her bed, snoozing the rainy day away.

Suddenly a strangely familiar voice whispered in her ear. "Interesting company you keep these days, _madonna_."

Norivana jumped, tensing at the surprise and proximity of the man's voice, who she recognized but still couldn't get over her initial shock.

"Ian!" she whispered in a hushed scold, whipping around to see her trainer leaning against the wall outside the room, right next to her doorway. "What are you doing here?" she asked, this time much less harshly and with more curiosity.

Ian stood, removing his back from the wall and straightening up tall, though still a few inches shorter than Norivana. He winked at her, "I heard you're getting involved in all sorts of risky business since you left my company." His strange accent was strong, accenting his 'r's with a roll of the tongue.

"Risky business?" Norivana quirked a brow, "What are you talking about?"

He absentmindedly twirled a small trinket through his fingers, somehow managing to get the magnetic-looking item to weave between his fingers as he talked. "Demonic elves, Troll emissaries, the Darkspear Rebellion... And now here you are, an ex-Horde soldier, consorting with a Night Elf in the heart of Alliance territory!" He fake-gasped, a corner of his mouth holding a smirk, his eyes practically sparking, "My my, little Rogueling, you've certainly got your hands full."

Norivana finally let herself smile at the light-eyed man. "What are you doing here, Ian?" she asked with an amused edge, nearly rolling her eyes.

"To join your cause," he replied simply. "I brought friends."

"Friends..?" Norivana crossed her arms. Friends of Ian Strom might not always mean a _good_ thing...

"Yes, friends," he replied, taking her disbelief the wrong way, but still with a healthy dose of humor, "I _do_ have them, contrary to your belief."

Norivana giggled, "That's not what I meant..." Ian shrugged in response, and she continued, "So... Join my cause? You mean join the rebellion against Hellscream?"

"Precisely," Ian nodded, "You need all the help you can get, yes?"

"I suppose," Norivana pursed her lips, pausing a moment, "What's this you said about friends, anyways?"

"I brought some," Ian replied in a smug tone.

"I know that," Norivana gritted through her teeth, laughing, but at the same time, the man's glibness was eating at her patience. "Who are they?"

Ian gave her a quirky look, smirking and cocking his head.

"Come along," he began making his way to the ramp, "And I shall introduce you."

* * *

**Mini cliffhanger, sorry, but I wasn't sure how long it'd take for me to finish this chapter if I included the next part, and I didn't want to keep you all waiting for this one. ;) **

**We're going to be meeting some new heroes in the next chapter! Wahoo!**


	25. Introductions

**Sorry this is late! School takes my time right out from under me, not to mention I have a sore throat and congestion during SUMMER. That's not supposed to happen... It's supposed to be during the winter, when you can curl up next to a heater and drink tea and wrap yourself in a blanket. Not die of heat exhaustion... Urgh.**

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**Anyways, review responses:**

**Sonya-Valentine: Prepare thyself for Ian's friends! *puts on friend hat* Okay, now I'm prepared!**

**gunner4555: Ohh I love Night Elf Warriors. I have a PVP one named Leyea; she's such a badass. Also, WHOO! September 10th, here we come. Bloodbath is more-or-less in the picture. ;)**

**Arenhai: Sorry I prolonged the suspense by not updating! ;D Here ya go!**

**Zarabethe: Awwww! That would be so precious.. *dies* **

**Aeschielle: Ew stupid campers. Especially in places like Hellfire.. God that place was so painful! Also, Aitto isn't gone forever, I promise! :)**

**Connet: Ian says hi back!**

**Rock On: Absence makes the heart grow fonder! ...Right? D:**

**peachycupcake: Actually I contemplated that.. I just might have to include it. It's too perfect. ;D**

**Kintaraheart: Thank you so, so much for the great review! You're awesome! xD I'm so glad you like this story. I love writing it!**

**Raistlin: I missed Ian too! :D I'm oddly attached to him. **

**Nyteknight: "One of the RPG books had Tauren considered adults at 50, middle aged at 75, old at 95 and venerable at 110, with a maximum lifespan of 150 years." Got that from Google! So, not even remotely as long as the elves. :( As for Ian, not _quite_ SI:7, but close. ;) And aw man! Curse Blizzard and their bad timing... **

**Vatam01: Actually I was laughing with my sister a while back, thinking on how funny it'd be to throw in a massive curveball and ship Vana with Ian instead. I don't think that'd go over so well, though. ;D**

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**Also, I'm afraid the copy/paste process may have cut out some parts of random paragraphs within the chapter. I think I got it all fixed, but if it randomly cuts or there's a confusing section, I'm going to proof-read it when I'm not so tired and hopefully those parts will be fixed, if there are any. **

* * *

Norivana wasn't entirely sure how to react when she and Ian reached the bottom of the ramp and nearly ran into a group of four people standing expectantly at the base. A few tribe members were standing off to the sides, watching in interest as Ian smiled widely, holding his arms out toward his friends.

There were three men and one woman, all four human, though in Norivana's opinion, they all seemed a little... off, somehow... Almost feral, the way they were dressed and held themselves. The three men looked a lot alike; they all had the same color of dark brown locks and sported various levels of facial hair. The tallest had long, mid-back length hair that was nearly completely straight, very thick and shiny. On his chin rested a small, trimmed goatee and a mustache that barely started to curl at the ends. The other two had long hair, though not even remotely as long as the first, and theirs curled at the ends and their facial hair was much thicker, tapering at their chins. The woman had waist-length, wavy golden-brown hair and gigantic blue eyes, and although she had an air about her that made her seem dangerous, she held a wide, innocent grin.

Ian spoke up. "Everyone," he grinned at the four of them, then at Norivana, "This is the infamous Norivana Sunstepper I told you about." He then turned toward the group again, "Norivana, meet my friends."

"Hi!" the blue-eyed woman said confidently, holding her hand out for Norivana to shake. "I've heard a lot about you. I'm Annalisa Harrington, and these are my brothers." She spoke a lot like Ian, though still held an old-fashioned accent, one Norivana recognized from somewhere but couldn't place. Last time she heard it, she finally realized, she hadn't been able to understand what the people were saying, because she hadn't had Edoril's translation spell yet. Even so, she couldn't remember _where_ she'd heard it from.

While Norivana shook Annalisa's hand, the three men waved almost in synchronization, and the tallest reached an open hand out for her to shake.

"Jonathan," he introduced himself, giving her a polite smile and a nod. In truth he sort of reminded her of a taller version of Ian, other than his hair was much darker. He was menacingly tall, a few inches taller than Norivana's six feet, which automatically made her jumpy. Not only that, but he held himself like he was mere moments from detonating some sort of trigger; a nerve in his neck was constantly tensed, and his shoulders were tight, as if he was restraining at all times. Around his neck, draped over the dark leather of his armor, hung a plethora of tribal leathers and tooth jewelry. It seemed a bit out of place, but at the same time it worked.

The blonde woman grinned and patted the tall man on the back. "He's the baby of the family," she smirked, "Little Jon."

Norivana smiled back, laughing internally at the irony of 'Little' Jon's nickname. She kept her distance though, still wary. These people seemed normal, but she couldn't quite put herself at ease around them. Something was up, something she couldn't figure out, and until she knew what it was that made them seem so strange to her, it'd drive her nuts.

Another brother stepped forward, the one with the fullest beard. "Jacob," he bowed slightly, shaking Norivana's hand and smiling a white smile through his beard. Unlike the other two men who had greenish-brown eyes, Jacob had lighter blue-green that looked almost grey, matching the stormy clouds that loomed overhead. Jacob seemed the strongest of the bunch, bulky yet agile. He looked a little shifty, eyes constantly darting about, ever-vigilant. He too was tense, and Norivana, after a glance, realized all four of them were. Why? She had no idea.

Norivana turned to look at the last brother, holding out her hand for him to shake. He took it as he spoke, "Justin Harrington, at your service." He wore small round tinted spectacles that somehow ended up accenting his face, despite how odd they could seem on anyone else. His hair flowed back over his neck and curled at the ends in tiny ringlets, and his facial hair much resembled that of Jonathan's, trimmed in a short goatee and mustache.

All of the men had their ears pierced generously, and from what Norivana could see of the skin that showed under their sleeves and collars, they were heavily-tattooed. The young woman was also sporting a nice display of colorful studs in her ears, and all four of them wore dark leather armor, nearly black as night and tightly-fitted, much like that of Ian's. To top it all off, they all displayed sharp, glinting daggers at their belts, sheathed and strapped away.

_Jonathan, Jacob, Justin,_ Norivana recited to herself, wondering how in the world she'd manage to get the three J's straight. She smiled at them all.

"Nice to meet all of you," she said, unsure of what else to say. Ian grinned widely.

"I've got to head to the bank to pick some items up for these four. Care to accompany us?" He gave Norivana an expectant look.

Norivana shrugged. If these people had earned the trust of Ian, she supposed she could give them a chance. "Sure," she nodded, and Annalisa clapped her hands happily.

"Awesome!" The wavy-haired woman smiled.

Ian twirled one finger as he turned to go, then pointed forward. "Let us be on our way, then. 'Tis not a long walk." He began a leisurely stroll, and the others fell into step behind. One of the men, Justin, glanced over at Norivana and began to speak to her.

"We've heard some... curious stories about you, Blood Elf," Justin said, cocking his head and inspecting her through his orange-tinted spectacles.

"Oh?" Norivana replied lightly, kicking a pebble out of the way with her boot as she walked. "Such as?"

The other two male siblings glanced over, obviously listening to the conversation but not verbally participating. Annalisa was up ahead, practically skipping beside Ian, speaking to him in light tones. Norivana thought it was a wonder the girl didn't pass out; she hadn't seen her take a single breath this entire time, just a constant drone of words spilling from the woman's mouth. Thankfully, Ian seemed perfectly fine, listening to Annalisa with a benign expression, a smile holding fast on his lips while the girl chattered happily, blissfully unaware of everything but her own words.

Justin shrugged at Norivana's question, glancing up at the rainclouds that continued to boom loudly, though the impending rain hadn't begun its plunge quite yet.

"Such as..." he began, smirking a little, "You have more-or-less waltzed into this escalating battle, staked your own flag in the center, and have now got your fingers planted in every pie across Azeroth. You are practically playing these people like puppets."

"What do you mean?" Norivana asked. If anything, _she_ was the puppet in this war. Varian was merely using her as a resource.

"Wrynn has accepted you as a member of his Alliance. Vol'jin knows this, and yet he too has accepted you as a member of his Horde. You hold a position of power whether you realize it or not." On the other side of Justin, Jonathan nodded silently, raising his brows subtly in agreement.

To Norivana's left, Jacob spoke up, "You've got influence on both sides. That's nigh impossible to achieve."

Norivana blinked a few times. These people practically knew more about her than she did herself. Not only that, but they were _definitely_ overestimating her, that was for sure. She shrugged wordlessly, unsure of how to reply. Suddenly thunder echoed almost deafeningly above them, and now the rain began to fall in large, heavy drops, spaced far and few between but still numerous enough that they could be heard as a steady 'plink' against the stone streets and buildings.

"Here we are, and just in time too," Ian called out, glancing up at the rain as they all reached the bank in the Dwarven district. Shuffling inside, Norivana stared at the sheer impressiveness of the contents of the room. Gigantic vaults and safes lined the walls, as well as bank tellers and workers. Norivana stayed off to the side, leaning against a wall as Ian strolled up and spoke to a woman who appeared to be in charge. Jacob leaned against the wall beside Norivana, his long, slightly-wet mane of curly hair falling toward his shoulders. He crossed his arms, staring intently at Ian with a mixed expression that hinted towards both respect and amusement.

"So," In an attempt to start conversation, Norivana craned her neck toward the man and spoke up, her voice echoing softly against the cold walls around them, "How do you know Ian?" She asked him.

Jacob opened his mouth to speak, blinking once slowly before he took in a breath, still looking at the blonde-haired man. "He trained us," he replied simply, "Long time ago."

"All four of you?" she wondered.

"Actually, a lot more than just four," he shrugged, glancing down at her, "There are more of us."

"You have _more_ siblings?" Norivana asked in surprise.

"No," Jacob laughed the word, "More of his students."

"Oh... Do you know them personally?"

He nodded silently, then spoke after a few beats, "Ian is the leader of an exclusive guild, a neutral band of Rogues that goes by 'The Shrouded Serpent Syndicate'... Surely you know of this?" He asked her, quirking a brow.

Norivana shook her head. "No, I didn't know that," she mumbled. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know diddly squat about Mr. Strom. All she knew was that he was a Rogue and that he was really good at what he did. Also, apparently he was a guild leader - and a shady one, at that. Shrouded Serpent Syndicate? It sounded like some sort of underground cartel.

_Who is this guy?_ Norivana wondered internally.

"Jake," Ian called out suddenly, beckoning the man over. Ian was holding out a satchel, which Jacob took and thanked him. Jacob brought the satchel back to Norivana, pulling out the contents, which turned out to be a new, pristine tabard. He held it up.

"This is our crest," he said. It was silver, outlined in a deep venom green, and in the center snaked a delicately-embroidered black-winged serpent with sharp, glinting teeth. Its eyes were studded with tiny, shining emeralds that reflected the light from a nearby lantern on the wall. Jacob removed his sable belt and donned the tabard over his head, pulling it snug before re-strapping his belt back around his waist. Honestly, Norivana thought, that tabard, combined with the pitch black armor, was hands-down one of the coolest outfits she'd ever seen. And even better, now all of the people she'd accompanied here were wearing the same thing.

Norivana raised her brows and blinked a few times. "Whoa," she blurted, and Ian sauntered over to her, donning his usual cunning, almost devilish look. He too was now wearing his tabard, and the gold of his hair and the ice-blue of his eyes, contrasted against his caramel skin and the black and green of his tabard, made him seem oddly exotic.

He held out his arms to his sides, obviously showing off his tabard. "I had the tailor keep these in a vault for the next time I returned. They were not finished last time I was here in Stormwind," he explained, glancing down at the incredibly well-made tabard, "I must say I quite like them."

Norivana gave him a curious look, allowing herself to smile just barely and ignoring what he'd just said. She had something else to address. "Mr. Strom," she cocked her head, "You never told me you were the leader of a group of bandits."

"Not bandits," he corrected her, dodging her accusation and wagging a finger once, smiling impishly, "We are much more than that."

Norivana crossed her arms as the man made his way out of the bank, followed by all five of his students, with Norivana hot on his tail. "Regardless," she sighed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You did not ask," he clicked his tongue through his shit-eating grin, shielding his eyes from the rain as it fell in sheets. Norivana frowned. He was right, but still... She had no idea why he kept it from her, seeing as it was sort of a big deal. He continued, "The important thing is that you know now, yes? And here we are, joining you in your plight."

Norivana nodded wordlessly, acknowledging that Ian was, in fact, correct, but still not giving him the satisfaction of a response. Ian chuckled and patted her back as the six of them made their way back into the orchard. They arrived shortly, entering the tall hollow tree and wringing out their soaked hair and clothing. The leather of everyone's armor was wet, but thankfully not saturated, so it'd dry quickly without going sour.

Jonathan, who was in the process of twisting his long dark hair and letting the water drip down onto the floor, gave Norivana a curious look. "Is Lucian here?" he asked her sort of quietly, seeming almost excited.

"You know him?" Norivana asked, taken completely by surprise. How on earth did this guy know Lucian?

"He allowed me to stay here for a long time until Ian found me," Jonathan replied, pointing over yonder at the small hut where Norivana and Lucian had rested when Unaril died.

"That was you?" Norivana wondered aloud again, remembering back to when they'd initially arrived in that little cabin and Lucian had found a note attached to a few silver coins. She hadn't thought anything of that, not until now, and she was surprised she'd even remembered it in the first place.

Jonathan laughed lightly, "Yep."

"Small world," Norivana mumbled. Jonathan shrugged lightly, and Norivana spoke up again. "He is sleeping upstairs."

"Ah," Jonathan nodded, brushing a hand through his wet hair, "I suppose I'll catch him some other time."

"I think he's just napping. I'm sure he'd like to see you again; he wouldn't mind me waking him," Norivana replied, smiling reassuringly at the tall, quiet man.

Jonathan gave her an appreciative look, "That's alright, I don't wan-"

"Don't worry," Norivana smiled. "I'll fetch him." As Ian and the four siblings stood around downstairs chattering about something, Norivana was just about to go up to get Lucian, when she saw him approaching down the ramp, cradling Snowball in his arms. He was cheerful and had a teasing edge to his voice as he spoke.

"Darling," he called out to Norivana before he saw anyone else, making her giggle at his use of the pet name for her, the first time he'd referred to her as anything other than her real name. "Why'd you leave? Snowball misses you-" he was exaggerating a pout, holding the kitten up close to his face and waggling one of her paws with his big fingers. At the same time though his deep, rich voice and ever-macho appearance directly contradicted his gooey actions. Right as he reached the base of the ramp, he caught sight of the other five people there, eyes resting on Jonathan, and he immediately straightened up, clearing his throat and making his voice dip at least an octave when he spoke again.

"Jonathan," he said in surprise, a smile tugging at his lips as he stood tall, having lost his saccharine touch from earlier and now one hundred percent manly, as if compensating for his entrance earlier. Norivana did her best to stifle a giggle behind him, noting his obvious attempt to redeem his masculinity. That wasn't quite working, though, seeing as he was still holding the tiny fluffy white creature in his arms, which was purring and nuzzled up against his chest. Her laugh won over her attempts to muffle it and Lucian glanced over at her, his glowing golden eyes sparkling with a hidden amusement before he turned back to the tall dark-haired Rogue in front of him.

Jonathan approached Lucian, smiling slightly and holding out a hand for him to shake. Lucian shifted the kitten to one side and took the man's outstretched palm, returning with a strong handshake as Jon spoke.

"Mr. Silverpaw," he began humorously, glancing around at the massive hollow tree, "You've upgraded your living space."

Lucian chuckled and barely shook his head, sighing, "A lot has happened since you left, my friend."

"So I see," Jonathan glanced at Norivana, then gave Lucian a quizzical look, one that read 'You'd better fill me in on this'. Jonathan's then eyes flicked down at the kitten, and a corner of his mouth curled in a smirk. "That thing looks like you."

"My newest protégé," Lucian smiled, rubbing the kitten behind the ears, then handing the little creature off to Norivana, who gladly took her into her arms. Snowball mewed and Norivana snuggled the little animal while Lucian spoke to Jonathan.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, and Jonathan nodded his head over toward his older siblings and Ian.

"It seems Norivana here made a pretty big impression on our leader," Jonathan said, this time loud enough for Ian to hear.

Ian glanced over, now finally noticing Lucian there, and he grinned widely, walking over to Lucian and patting the tall elf on the arm. "Ahah!" he exclaimed, quirking a brow at Lucian, who gave Ian a mildly confused look. Ian continued, "So this is the man who stole my star student away from me."

Lucian smiled and both Justin and Annalisa let out sounds of complaint.

"I thought _I_ was your favorite!" Annalisa jokingly cried, and Justin raised a single brow from under his round shades, "No, no," he said with a smirk at his sister, "We all know I am."

Ian laughed aloud at his two students, walking over to Norivana and squeezing her shoulders, acting completely at ease. "Favorite or no, this woman is one of a kind," he said, winking. Ian then wrapped one arm around her, leaning over to speak to her and quirking his brows, "You know," he said a little quieter, cocking his head, "You'd be a priceless addition to my syndicate." His cerulean eyes studied her, awaiting a response.

In front of them, Lucian cleared his throat, raising his brows slightly and giving Norivana a look which required all of her restraint to keep from laughing. He appeared to be both amused and put-off at the same time as he glanced at Ian's arm, which was still draped around Norivana's side. Lucian's shimmering eyes flashed with a look she couldn't read, one she'd never seen on the man's face before.

"Tempting as that sounds," Norivana smiled, glancing over at Lucian and giving him a reassuring wink, "I've become pretty attached to Stormwind." At that, Lucian's mouth twitched at a smile, and he walked over next to her, his boots clunking on the wooden floor.

Ian clicked his tongue, sighing once and shaking his head, "The loss is your own," he shrugged, removing his arm from its crook, "You know not what you are missing."

Lucian almost absentmindedly snaked one arm around Norivana's waist possessively as he spoke to Ian. "So what can I help you and your guild with today?" He asked it in a calm, friendly manner, though Norivana did notice the way he was subtly inching her further away from the skilled Rogue and closer to himself. It was so subtle, and yet so obvious what he was doing.

Norivana laughed internally. Never had she expected Lucian to feel threatened by another man. He had no reason to, seeing as she viewed Ian as no more than a friend, but it made sense; Lucian did not know the man well enough to realize that Ian was like that with everyone. ...At least, she _thought_ he was like that with everyone. Maybe even _she_ didn't know him well enough to know that. Maybe Lucian really did have legitimate cause for his actions.

In response to Lucian's question, Ian sighed, chewing on the inside of his lip absentmindedly as he gathered his thoughts. "Actually, we arrived to see what we can do for _you_," he said, and to the side Norivana saw Lucian's brows raise. Ian continued, "I, along with my guild, have been gathering a lot of important information on both sides. It was mostly out of curiosity at first. Initially, we planned on staying out of the whole conflict. We are a neutral band. We hold no allegiances to anyone but ourselves. But it appears that is not going to happen, not while I still hold a conscience, tattered and worn as it may be. We cannot claim to keep our hands clean when we know so much and do nothing about it. So here we are, at your command."

Annalisa nodded thoughtfully to Ian's side. "And whatever Ian chooses, we all back him one hundred percent. A friend of Ian's is a friend of ours."

Lucian let out a soundless half-laugh, half-sigh. "That's... great," he said, tightening his brow, but still holding his smile, "But it isn't _us_ you should be coming to. I suggest you seek out an audience with someone of more legal stature, such as my father, Master Frostweaver, or possibly even the King himself. I cannot give the word for you to be involved in this; I would if I could, but alas I am currently no more than a glorified soldier. I will find my father and bring him to you; we can start there, I suppose."

Ian looked pleased, but a little hesitant, "Now, I will warn you that we are not on the best of terms with a few... organizations here. SI:7, for example."

Lucian froze, squinting his eyes barely and giving Ian a curious look, "What is your quarrel with SI:7?"

"No quarrel," Ian corrected him, shaking his head, "Just... They do not... They do not approve of us."

"Why?" Lucian asked him simply, holding his expression.

"We may or may not have interfered with their operations on multiple occasions, stolen some of their things, interrogated some of their spies..." He shrugged lightly. "Everyone needs a little competition."

"Ian!" Norivana scolded, "I thought you said you were a neutral group?"

"We are," he raised a brow, his blue eyes twinkling, "Not once have I claimed that it is a _helpful_ neutral group."

Norivana crossed her arms and pursed her lips, and Lucian blinked a few times, furrowing his brows. "I suppose that won't affect Edoril's decision all that much, although he is on very good terms with the organization..." He trailed off, tapping his furry chin thoughtfully. "Ah well, it's worth a try. I'll be back," he assured them, then stepped out the door of the tree into the rain, shifting almost immediately into his bird form and taking off through the sky toward the keep.

Regarding the blonde-haired man with a not-so-threatening-glare, Norivana shifted the kitten in her arms and shook her head accusingly. "Ian, I keep learning so many new things about you today."

He shrugged, holding his hands out to his sides, "What can I say? I am a busy man." He walked over and reached out a hand, petting the tiny white kitten before his eyes flicked to the side, focusing on something behind Norivana. His entire expression changed, alighting in a smoldering smile, his eyes practically sparking with that almost devilish look he'd perfected. His hand dropped from the kitten, and he wordlessly walked around Norivana, acting as if she, along with the rest of the world, had completely disappeared.

Norivana turned to see what he was doing, both curious and confused. He had walked across the room and was now leaning against the wooden wall, speaking to none other than Lena Silverpaw. The white-haired Night Elf listened to him talk to her for a moment, raised her brows in a highly amused smirk, and leaned against the wall as well. She watched him, crossing her arms and then retorting something back in a short sentence, at which Ian snorted loudly and began laughing, now having to actually use the wall to keep himself upright. He braced a forearm against the wall, still laughing, grinning his wide, white grin and laying on the charm.

The two were all the way across the room beside the ramp, and Norivana couldn't tell what they were saying exactly, but whatever it was she could only guess was hysterical. They appeared to be almost bantering back and forth, and if not for the wide grins on both of their faces, Norivana would've thought they were arguing. Norivana decided to let the two of them do... whatever it was they were doing, and she turned back toward the four siblings who'd accompanied Ian here. They were all talking amongst themselves, standing in a loose group and seemingly very relaxed. None of them gave even a second glance at their leader, which made Norivana wonder if he did this a lot.

She approached them just in time to hear Jacob, the strong one with the big beard, yelp the word "MOMMY!" in an over-exaggeratedly feminine voice, lunging himself toward Jonathan and slamming against his taller, younger brother. The four siblings all began laughing, and Justin shook his head, adjusting his spectacles.

"No," he shook his head, laughing, "Just... No."

Norivana, both entertained and a bit disturbed, was now wondering if everyone in the building had suddenly gone insane. Snowball meowed, becoming restless, and Norivana decided the kitten probably needed a nap. Snowball was grown enough that she wouldn't need a box to sleep in, just something soft and quiet. Norivana's bed would be more than sufficient for a sleepy kitty. The Rogue visitors seemed to be content where they were, and Lucian would be back soon, so it wouldn't be a problem for Norivana to slip upstairs for a moment.

As she neared the ramp, she also neared Lena and Ian, finally catching a glimpse of their conversation.

Ian had cocked his head at the white-haired elf, "What's an ambitious, strong woman like you doing hiding in a place like this? You should be out exploring the world. Someone with your qualities does not seem the type to be content cooped up in a forest."

"Don't you think if there was anything better for me to do, I would've done it already?" Lena raised a brow.

"Perhaps the ideal opportunity just hasn't presented itself yet," Ian shrugged, then glanced over at the siblings, "You see those four over there?" he pointed at them, "They had absolutely nothing when I found them. No money, no home... And now look at them. I think you just need to find your niche."

"Even if I wanted to get out, I've been leading this tribe for a long time," Lena said, shrugging, "My people need me here."

"You have an older brother who is entirely content with staying right here, though, right?" Ian asked her, "Is he not competent enough to lead his tribe? And not only that, but your people are now under the protection of the King. They do not even need a chief."

The elf paused, "Yeah, but..."

"But?" Ian curled a corner of his mouth, smiling at her, "Is there an alternative cause for your hesitation?"

Norivana began her ascent of the ramp, but she walked slowly, trying not to be obvious as she listened to them. What was Ian hinting at?

"No," Lena laughed, "I just... I wouldn't know where to start if I ever _did_ leave."

Norivana went up a few more steps.

"Start with me," Ian offered her, his voice becoming softer, almost making Norivana stop in her tracks. He continued, repeating, "Start your journey with me. I can show you things, take you places you cannot imagine."

Norivana actually did stop completely for a second now, blinking a few times before forcing herself to keep walking up the ramp. That man was _always_ goofing around somehow, and this was the first time she'd heard him sound legitimately sincere about anything. He wasn't joking, teasing... nothing. This was a side of Ian Strom she'd never witnessed before.

Norivana didn't hear a reply from Lena, and she wasn't sure if it was because she'd gone out of earshot or because Lena didn't respond. Either way, Norivana had heard enough of the conversation to realize that she didn't have to worry one bit about Ian pursuing _her_. He had his eyes set on Lucian's sister. She wasn't sure how well that would bode with Lucian, seeing as he was the protective big brother, but personally, she thought it was adorable. Lena seemed a bit young, only just having turned eighteen, but then again, she was more mature than any other person Norivana knew at her age. The girl was only three years younger than Norivana herself, and Ian couldn't be past his twenties. In all honesty, she couldn't think of anyone better for that headstrong girl than the troublesome, lovable Rogue.

Norivana was now mentally cheering on the man, hoping desperately that his attempts would succeed and that he'd acquire the white-haired elf's affection.

She reached her room and set Snowball on her bed, and the kitten teetered across the blankets, collapsing against a large pillow and curling into a warm, sleepy ball. The kitten looked so comfortable that Norivana couldn't help it, and she followed the creature's example, removing her boots and relaxing into the bed beside Snowball, letting the sounds of rain lull her into a trance. She traced her fingers along the carvings in the wooden headboard of the bed, finding herself wondering when Lucian would be back. She'd become so completely attached to the man, it was almost scaring her. He couldn't have been gone more than ten minutes, but she was already missing his presence.

Feeling oddly empty, Norivana pulled at the covers of the bed, wrapping them over herself and indulging in the warmth of the thick blankets. Snowball shifted slightly, stretching out her tiny paws, yawning, and then curling back up as Norivana's eyes became heavy. Somewhere between her varied thoughts, the steady rain against the balcony, and the warmth of the bed, the tired elf fell asleep.

* * *

A feather-light touch to Norivana's cheek brought her out of her slumber, causing her eyes to flutter open. Lucian had tucked some stray hair behind her long, slender ear, letting his hand rest there at the left side of her face, his thumb lightly brushing over the scar on her cheek. Norivana smiled up at him.

"Hi," she said, smiling lazily up at the large elf sitting beside her on the bed. He leaned down, planting a gentle kiss on her lips before sitting up and returning her smile with one of his own.

"Hi," he replied contentedly.

"I fell asleep," Norivana said matter-of-factly, glancing over to see that Snowball was no longer where she'd last seen her.

"Mm," Lucian hummed, "I noticed."

Norivana pulled herself into a sitting position, leaning her back against the headboard. "How'd it go with Ian?"

"It went well," Lucian replied, "At least... I _think_ it went well. Ian talked to Edoril for a while, and then they all left."

"What all did they talk about?" Norivana asked.

"From what I could hear, something about Garrosh and Pandaria. I didn't catch any specifics, though."

"Garrosh in Pandaria? What's he up to?" she wondered, and Lucian shrugged wordlessly. That was not a good sign, the Warchief being in Pandaria. Something was up. She returned to the previous topic, "So... Where are the Rogues at now?" she wondered aloud, curious as to where Ian would be setting up.

"I think they're staying at an inn."

"I half-expected the man to just move in," Norivana laughed, "It sounds like something he'd do."

Lucian laughed, though the sound was a little off, sort of hollow. "Ooh. Joy of joys," he said almost sarcastically.

"You don't like him much, do you?" Norivana prodded, cocking her head at Lucian.

"Eh," he shrugged, making an almost apologetic face, "I don't _dis_like him..."

"That's a start," Norivana smirked.

"I suppose," he chewed his lip.

"Well, you don't have to worry about him," Norivana smiled, "I saw the way you reacted when he was around me, but it's not _me_ he's after. It's your sister."

Lucian blinked at her, his face donning a perplexed expression. "What?"

"I heard them talking downstairs."

"I... Oh," Lucian glanced down to the side, trying to process this news. "Not what I expected." He actually seemed relieved, not showing even a bit of any signs of upset, so Norivana relaxed a little.

"Me too," Norivana laughed. It was now that Norivana realized it wasn't storming, and she couldn't hear any rain against the balcony floor outside.

"What time is it?" Norivana raised her brows. She swore she couldn't have slept for more than an hour at most.

"About seven, I think."

"Whoops," Norivana laughed, "I didn't intend to sleep all day."

"No harm in it," Lucian chuckled, nudging her, "After all, you're surrounded by Night Elves. It'd make sense that our habits are rubbing off on you."

"And yet, I really don't mind," she said, smiling.

Lucian smiled back and stood from the bed. After a moment of thought, his contentedness was doused as he changed the subject. "So..." he began with a concerned tone, walking over to the arch that opened out to the balcony, "I'm worried about Sarion."

"Is he still not sleeping?" Norivana asked, frowning slightly and recalling the conversation she'd had with the dark-haired elf a few days ago. He'd looked terrible then, and she could only imagine what sort of effects the insomnia was having on him now.

"He sleeps about three hours a week. Not only that, but I think he's got a severe case of depression," Lucian sighed, leaning against a beam of the archway, the fading light from outside creating a silhouette of his tall form.

"I suppose I don't have to ask why..." Norivana got out of the bed as well, walking barefoot over to Lucian and hugging her arms close to her body as a cool wet wind blew straight through the opening, nipping at her skin through her clothing. It actually wasn't that cold, but compared to the bed she'd been wrapped up in, it felt like straight-up Northrend right now.

Lucian held an almost pained expression. "The sad thing is that I expected nothing less."

"What do you mean?" Norivana asked him.

"I have yet to meet someone who loved another person like Sarion loved his twin brother. They were inseparable... Couldn't go more than a few hours apart without going into withdrawal. So this," he said, "This is his own personal hell."

Norivana sighed. "I really wish we could find a way to help him sleep. That would at least offer _some_ relief."

"Actually," Lucian began, "I did find one option. But... it's drastic. Not to be used lightly, like a potion or a pill."

"Really?" Norivana raised her brows. "What is it?" If there was something that could help Sarion, it'd be a miracle.

"It's a spell," Lucian explained, "But the catch is, it's not a spell to make a man sleep. It's a spell to preserve him."

"Preserve..?" Norivana asked hesitantly, unsure of what all that word encompassed.

"It... Well, it more-or-less... Um..." Lucian gritted his jaw, fumbling through his words, "It kills its target. But-"

"Kills?" Norivana blurted, wide-eyed. "And you think that's an option?"

"Well, let me explain," Lucian said, "It kills its target in the sense that it pauses the person's bodily functions, like breathing, heartbeat, etcetera. It puts them in such a deep sleep that they literally... Die."

"Is it reversible?" Norivana asked, now understanding why this was a legitimate option, but still a dangerous one.

"Well yes," Lucian said, "Definitely. Problem is, once you induce your intended patient, it takes nearly a month before you can pull them out without damaging their brain function. Not only that, but the slumber can virtually last forever, and the spell is only breakable through the blood of the one who produces it in the first place. So if I did use that spell and something were to happen to me, if I somehow were unable to bring him back myself, he'd never wake up. I would indirectly be the cause of death of my friend."

"That's... heavy," Norivana pursed her lips. Indirectly being the cause of the death of a friend was something she knew quite well; her mere arrival within Lucian's tribe was the reason the poor elf was having so much trouble in the first place, what with the corrupted armor and everything. Poor guy. Honestly, part of the reason Norivana was so intent on helping him was because she felt responsible for his problems.

"I don't want to do it, but he'll waste away if we do nothing," Lucian murmured, chewing his lip.

"Have you talked to him about it?" Norivana asked him.

"Briefly," Lucian said. "He seemed up for it, but he never said so directly. He can be so cryptic sometimes... I overheard some of the conversation you had with him before we left a few days ago, and I'm getting the impression he just doesn't want me to worry about him. But, what he doesn't realize is that his apathy toward his own well-being in exchange for my comfort is running me through a wringer."

Norivana sighed, walking out onto the wet balcony and breathing the cool wet air. "He's too thoughtful for his own good."

With a humorless laugh, Lucian nodded, "No kidding." He walked over next to Norivana and leaned against the rails, glancing up at the dimming near-autumn sky, which still held grey clouds but was no longer raining. Norivana's stomach suddenly growled loudly and she smirked as Lucian glanced over at her, holding a smile of his own.

"Hungry?" he asked. "You haven't eaten since we were on the other side of the world."

"That's not so big of a statement when you have access to portals," Norivana commented, nudging him with her elbow. He chuckled, standing up straight.

"Hey," he said, his tone suggesting that he had changed the subject, "I could cook something up if you're hungry."

Norivana cocked her head at him humorously. "Is there anything you _aren't_ good at?"

"Of course not," he grinned, "The Almighty Lucian has no faults."

Norivana giggled. "How could I have forgotten?"

"So, how's fish sound?" Lucian said, still smiling, "I can fry some fillets."

"Perfect," she smiled back, then paused, remembering that she was still wearing dirty clothing with an overly-generous amount of sand in it from the Sen'jin isles. "But first, I need to wash up."

Lucian laughed. "Alright, take your time. I'll be out near the fires when you need me."

"I won't be long, I promise," she said cheerfully, skipping back into her room and rifling through the clothes in her armoire drawers as Lucian left. At first, she contemplated donning her usual tunic and trousers, then paused. It was already evening, soon-to-be-nighttime, and she could _really_ go for some clean, comfy pajamas. She rummaged through the back, pulling out a pair of soft cotton shorts and a plain shirt. They looked so inviting she nearly changed into them right there, but decided against it. It'd be worth it if she waited until after her bath.

Now knowing what she was going to wear, she scooped the outfit up and took it, along with a comb, a bar of soap, and a cotton towel, outside to the clear lake that lay off through the trees. Of course, if desired, one could fill a tub and bathe that way, but the crystal-clear water of that shaded, secluded pool was preferable, in her opinion.

She reached the water, which was shaded by dense trees and out of eyesight from the settlement of elves, so she knew her privacy would be kept sacred while she bathed. She went to the far end of the pool, which wrapped around a bend and reached a small waterfall, where the water churned and bubbled. Birds were chirping overhead and she heard cicadas buzzing in the trees as she stripped her clothes and stepped into the water, going waist-deep into the cool liquid, dipping the soap bar into the water before she began scrubbing. She cleaned and scrubbed the dirt from her clothes as well before she lathered her hair, wading over next to the waterfall and allowing the spray to rinse the soap from her dark red locks. She always loved bathing here; it was so peaceful, and at this time of the day, she never had to worry about anyone else being here.

To her alarm, however, off in the distance, she heard a loud roar echo through the trees. Seconds later, a male voice carried through as well.

"Water's base! Water's base!" someone hollered, and suddenly through the trees burst a tall green-haired elf who appeared to be in the process of stripping his shirt as he ran. He chucked it on the ground, still in a dead sprint for the water as she then saw two more green-haired men burst through the trees, both of whom were following the first guy's lead, ripping their tunics and trousers off and throwing them aside. They were all laughing loudly, yelling and making a huge ruckus. Honestly, if not for the awkwardness of the situation, Norivana would be impressed; removing one's apparel while running is a difficult feat.

Another feline roar echoed as the first man, now in nothing but his underwear, took a running leap into the water, still not seeing Norivana who was on the opposite end of the pool. The other two men, who at first appeared to be about to jump in as well, stopped suddenly, running back toward the trees and hiding themselves behind the wide trunks, as if waiting for someone. The source of the roar appeared, a sleek, navy-furred cat that leapt into view, shifting through the air into yet another clothing-less man with dark navy hair. He hadn't seen the two who were hiding yet, and after a second Norivana realized these full-grown, adult men must be playing some form of tag.

She stifled a giggle as the two elves burst out of their hiding spots, suddenly ambushing the man from both sides and lifting him up, swinging him back and forth despite his attempts to fight back, then sending him sailing through the air, straight into the water.

This had all happened in a matter of seconds, and Norivana was so completely caught off-guard that she did nothing but stand and stare blankly at them in surprise, blushing at their lack of clothing.

The indigo-haired man who had been thrown into the water sputtered his way to the surface, bursting his head above water and shouting, "That still counts! You weren't on base when I tagged you! It counts! It still counts!" He was laughing, and Norivana realized a split-second too late that she'd accidentally drifted too far forward from the bank, now in clear view of the others but body still mostly under water, so at least not exposed.

She started backing up, but not fast enough, and the navy-haired elf, who had just wiped his eyes clear of the water, locked his eyes onto her from across the pool and froze completely, one hand pausing mid-air near his face. His mouth was held open in surprise, and Norivana's eyes widened, feeling extremely awkward.

None of the others had seen her yet though, and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, so she just stood there. One of the elves, who was entirely oblivious as to what was going on, threw himself at the blue-haired man, attempting to get him into a headlock and/or dunk him, but the man just grabbed the other guy by one shoulder, reaching up and turning the guy's head so that he too saw Norivana, and he froze as well, holding virtually the same expression as the other man. The other two caught on as well, and thus began the most deafening silence she'd ever experienced in her life. The water stilled as everyone stood in a stalemate, unsure of what to say. Norivana self-consciously folded her arms over her chest, knowing that even though the men probably couldn't see anything, it'd give her some peace of mind.

Finally, one of the elves beside the guy who'd seen her first spoke.

"Holy shi-" he began, but the navy-haired elf whipped a hand out, grabbing the man by the head and dunking him entirely underwater, still staring ahead at Norivana. He elf spoke up, glancing to the other guys, and he appeared to be doing his best to hide a smile but failing miserably.

"Hey," he said, trying to beckon their attention, but they continued to stare at the woman in front of them, oblivious to everything else. "Guys," he repeated, a little louder and they finally tore their eyes from Norivana to look at him. "We should uh... Take this party elsewhere."

Norivana nodded silently in agreement as the man who'd been dunked sputtered loudly as he resurfaced, wiping the water from his eyes. "What'd you do that for?!" He growled at the man, running a hand over his dripping face and smoothing the evenly-shaved hair on his chin.

Norivana couldn't help herself now and although she felt mildly violated, she began giggling, which turned into a full-on laugh as the guys waded out of the water, all of them looking somewhat entertained and embarrassed at the same time. One of the green-haired men called out to her as he picked up his shirt.

"Sorry Norivana!" he shouted, sending her a wide grin.

Although he knew her name, she couldn't remember his. She knew it was something that started with an L. Lega-something Legalith? Maybe. She did recognize him as one of the men she'd encountered on her first day in the tribe when Unaril had knocked her and Lucian into the moonwell. She laughed in response, waving a hand dismissively as the men quickly retreated back the way they'd come.

_That was awkward,_ Norivana thought to herself, letting out an audible shaky laugh. She dunked herself underwater one more time before wading out of the water, drying off with a towel before wrapping it around her hair and quickly putting on her clothes, now donning the comfy, lightweight pajamas. She picked up her things, holding them in one arm while she combed her hair with the free hand on her way back to the tall tree. She reached it promptly, still musing over what had just happened in a sort of dazed stupor. She hung her wet clothes up to dry, slipping her feet into a pair of slippers and making her way down and out to the fires, where she saw Lucian there with Sarion beside him.

Lucian glanced up from the sizzling fire and smiled at her, then continued to speak to his friend. As Norivana fell into earshot, she picked up the conversation.

"...I can speak to Edoril tomorrow about finding some way for people other than myself to wake you. If I can't find a way to do that, I'd say we only use this spell as a last resort."

"Honestly, Lucian," Sarion said, "At this point, I don't care if I never wake up." His rich voice was rough and tired, but still had a pure edge to it, much like Unaril's had been. His words, however, struck Norivana as very sad.

_I don't care if I never wake up,_ the words circled her mind, and she frowned as she sat down on a carved bench-like log. Lucian let out an audible sigh and stopped what he was doing, walking over and kneeling down next to Sarion, who was slouching in his seat.

"Sarion, friend, things will get better," Lucian said in a quiet, low voice, and Norivana felt like she was intruding somehow, but knew that if she got up and left, it'd just make things even worse. Lucian continued, "We will fix this. We'll find a way."

Sarion mumbled something Norivana couldn't hear, and she saw Lucian's shoulders tense a little.

"He wouldn't want that for you," Lucian murmured. "He loved you. He always will, Sarion. Nothing you could have done would change that. He would want you to live, to be happy."

"So... What, killing him wasn't a big deal?" Sarion replied loud enough for Norivana to hear, this time sounding stressed. "I think killing a man negates any vow of friendship he holds with you."

"Sarion," Lucian repeated his name, pleading, "You did not kill your brother," he said slowly, looking intently at his friend's eyes. "And until you come to terms with that fact, you cannot move on."

"I don't want to move on," Sarion almost growled, then suddenly looked apologetic, giving Lucian a penitent look.

Lucian gritted his jaw but gripped Sarion's shoulder with one big palm before standing. "The least we can do is help you sleep," he said resignedly, "I think we should go with the spell. I'll talk to Edoril tomorrow, and we'll figure out where to go from there."

Sarion nodded silently, relaxing back against the log he was braced on. In the firelight, Norivana saw how gaunt his face had become, how he'd lost muscle mass in his neck and shoulders, and how his brows were knit in a dark, shaded furrow. Lucian sat down next to Norivana, giving her a tight smile.

As if that exchange between Lucian and Sarion hadn't been bad enough, it got worse when lo and behold, the four elves she'd encountered in the water approached them. Norivana was desperately hoping none of them would mention earlier, but that didn't work in her favor.

"Now that we're all clothed," one of them, a green-haired one, began, his voice laced with humor, "We'd just like to say sorry for earlier.."

Lucian blinked, then craned his neck toward Norivana, his mouth holding a highly entertained, almost teasing smile, his brows raised and eyes questioning. He didn't even have to say anything for Norivana to know exactly what his question was: _Now that we're all clothed?_

Norivana cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Uh, no worries," she said, ignoring Lucian's teasing look and forcing the indecent image of the four men out of her mind, yet still her ears blushed near-scarlet as she spoke. All she wanted right now was for those four Druids to just disappear.

The man kept talking though, grinning at her. "If we'd known you were there, we wouldn't have... You know..." He cut off his sentence, then interrupted his own thoughts and began to ramble, "Not that we didn't like the view or anything... I can see why Lucian likes you- I mean, uh, we didn't actually see anything- well, maybe a little, but-" The navy-haired elf suddenly elbowed him in the side, causing him to stop speaking, and he shut his mouth.

"What he means to say is," the navy-haired elf grinned, "Sorry, but not sorry."

Finally, Lucian spoke up, still giving Norivana a grin, "What on earth are they talking about?"

"Nothing," Norivana blurted, "Just wrong place at the wrong time is all."

"No no," Lucian grinned, "There's a story here. You're not getting off the hook that easy."

Norivana sighed. "Fine," she rolled her eyes, sending the other Druids a glare, at which they began laughing. She began speaking quickly, "I was bathing in the pools and they didn't know it and they got in the water too. There. Happy?" She gave Lucian an innocent smile.

Lucian squinted his eyes. "You suck at telling stories."

Norivana giggled. "Mmhm. There's a reason I'm so quiet."

He smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist and using a free hand to shift the skillet on which the fish fillets were frying. The other Druids said their 'hello's to Sarion and went on their way while Sarion cleared his throat and stood.

"I'm going to head back to the tree," he said, sending Norivana a broken smile.

Lucian sent his friend a nod. "Tomorrow, Sarion," he said in a reassuring tone, "Tomorrow is the day we fix this, alright?"

Sarion nodded back, his jaw pulsing once before he turned and walked back toward the tree. Norivana watched him go, noting how the man's horns had gotten slightly smaller, thinner, but were still very much there.

"Will those horns ever go away?" she asked, though honestly they weren't all that bad of a look for the man.

"I doubt it," Lucian said, "They seemed to be shrinking for a while, but then they stopped. I think they'll be like that forever."

"Words cannot even begin to encompass how incredibly _tragic_ that poor man's life has become," Norivana frowned. Sarion had lost his home in Ashenvale, been possessed by a demon, been forced to kill his brother, stopped eating almost entirely, and now had stress-induced insomnia that, if not taken care of, would probably kill him. All of this within mere months, and somehow the man was still functioning.

Lucian scooped out a fillet onto a smooth, glossy wooden plate, sprinkling it with spices from a tiny pouch, then reaching down next to the fire, picking up a small bowl full of sliced lemons and squeezing the juice of one slice onto the fish. He handed it to Norivana, then prepared his own meal in the same way while Norivana took a bite. The flavor was perfect, slightly smoky and tangy and wonderful, and Norivana had nearly forgotten how good actual meat tasted; she'd been more-or-less living off of a vegetarian diet while she stayed here.

She and Lucian ate and chatted, and at Lucian's curious request, Norivana recited what she remembered of the conversation between Ian and Lena. Lucian was both interested and surprised, but he seemed okay with the idea.

Despite Norivana's long day-nap, she was tired again by the time they'd finished eating, so she said her goodnights and went into her room to find Snowball curled up on a desk near the wall, and Argyle in the window. Both were sleeping, and Norivana followed their example, removing her slippers and crawling into her blankets. Next up on the agenda was Sarion, and depending on whether Lucian could tweak the spell properly, they may or may not have their answer to the poor dark elf's problems.

There was only one way to find out, though, and tomorrow would bring the answer either way.

* * *

***Gasp* **

**This chapter seemed so freaking slow to me, probably just because I'm so used to writing action and travel and excitement and stuff that a laid-back chapter is just... boring. xD Next up is Sarion! We get to find out how they end up dealing with his issue. I may make that chapter pretty short and update it within a few days, but here's hoping. **

**School seems to enjoy finding ways to douse my plans. **


	26. Leap of Faith

**Hey readers! This chapter's short compared to my others, but sometimes some variety is nice, right? ...Right? xD **

**Anyways, hope you enjoy this one. It's off-beat compared to the others for... various reasons which, if this were an M-Rated story, would be much more obvious.. xD **

**Review responses: **

**NaomiSpice: Thanks for the awesome review! Ooh I see that you're only at chapter two, but hopefully you'll continue to read all the way to this one! ;) As for the time frame, I'm contemplating editing the initial few pilot chapters and making them fit better to the modern in-game one. I actually started out pre-cata and got a sudden plot-change once I discovered that my intention for the story was actually becoming a reality. Hopefully it won't bug the true lore followers too much that I strayed from the Warsong backstory. I will try to end up altering it to fit once I'm finished if it really does bother anyone. :D**

**Raistlin: Thank you so much! :D Yessss I watched the cinematics and practically cried with excitement.. So I watched them again... and again... _ **

**I'm awesome and y'all know it: Just typing out your username makes me laugh :D It's awesome. Here's your update!**

**peachycupcake: I love Norivana and Lucian... I'm so attached to them that it may be borderline unhealthy. ;) And awwwww that's perfect... Eko and a quiet troll girl makes me melt. Good idea, I may have to use that!**

**Rock On: Y'all are in for a super treat in Reawakening, I'll tell you that much. :) Well, as long as you... - wait..! No spoilers!**

**Aeschielle-Moonguard: Don't worry, Sarion won't be sad forever. Next chapter we'll see things looking up for the guy, big time! :)**

**Zarabethe: Actually you're extremely close with your theory... _Extremely_. :D And yissss Norivana will get a surprise when she discovers they're worgens. ;) Also, I need to catch up on scepter! I just got an email today that you're on chapter 17 - I have like three to catch up on or something! Gonna do that this weekend I think.**

**Connet: Syela sounds awesome, like a derpy wizard snake. **

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**Alright, anyways, thanks to all who read, favorited, followed, and reviewed! You're all fantastic! :D**

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Two golden glowing eyes stared ahead, shining healthily and flickering with raw, untamed power as Norivana focused on them, appreciating the comfort she felt just by remaining under Lucian's gaze. He smiled a soft smile, a slight gesture that, despite its simplicity, elicited a flutter in her chest that had emerged nearly every time he gave her even so much as a glance. Norivana smiled back, reaching up a hand to embrace the side of his face with her fingertips, craving his contact. However, right as her fingers brushed the edge of his jaw, his eyes suddenly changed, becoming harsher, colder, and uninviting. They lost their sweet honey glow and churned a sickly yellow, tensing and fixing a glare upon her.

Norivana tried to remove her hand, inhaling sharply in surprise, but was restrained by giant, clawed fingers that grasped themselves around her wrist, clenching tightly to the point of crushing bone. Terrified, Norivana let out a cry and looked back at Lucian's face, but it was no longer Lucian. It was a monster. Scarred, broken lips barely covered a maw of gnashing teeth, with two giant tusks jutting upward from the creature's lower jaw. His eyes were evil, tiny yellow spheres that burned with hatred, hatred she had only seen from one person: Garrosh Hellscream.

Chills ran down Norivana's spine as he let out a hair-raising laugh and released her wrist, practically throwing it back at her. "You think you are safe here?" he bellowed with a voice like rattling bones. The Orc was massive, bigger than she remembered, and as he spoke he'd somehow stepped even closer, now glaring down at Norivana from mere inches away. She could sense the hatred spewing from his every move, could see the malice in his eyes and hear it in his voice. He continued, "You cannot hide behind your pathetic Alliance King for much longer." His eyes flashed with spite, "A time comes when I shall take everything you hold dear and crush it with the force of a thousand shields." He pulled a large axe from its sheath and slammed it into the ground in a crunch, at which Norivana heard a strange sound at her feet and looked down upon a horrid sight.

Lucian was lying face-up on the ground, eyes frantic and jaw clenched in pain as he tried to take in a rasping breath. His breathing was ragged and slowing rapidly, eyes dimming as blood seeped from a corner of his mouth. Impaling his chest, straight through the heart was the tip of the giant axe.

"NO-!" Norivana shrieked, trying to go to him but discovering her feet were held immobile by some unknown force. She wrenched her eyes away from the sight and back to Garrosh as he grinned wickedly, pleased with her reaction. He reached down and grabbed the hilt of the axe, slowly grinding it further into its gory sheath as he spoke, eliciting a gurgling cry from Lucian.

"You will have nowhere to flee, nothing to bar the weight of my blade as it cleaves through the flesh and bone of those who stand against me, and only then will you learn to understand and fear the full might of the Horde." He paused a moment, then said darkly, "The True Horde."

With that, he ripped his blade out sideways, effectively stamping out the life of the white-haired elf at his feet and letting a spray of blood speckle the ground while he waved the axe in an arc before sheathing it. Norivana shrieked and fell to her knees, finally allowed to go to Lucian, but it was too late. His eyes were empty, void of life and his blood had soaked his chest.

Hellscream took a step back, sneering. "You will fail," his voice echoed as his image dimmed, leaving nothing but Norivana and Lucian's mutilated corpse.

Norivana's mind was reeling and she began sobbing, frozen in place and losing all sense of reason. A gentle hand brushing her face startled her, and she saw her world wrenched out from underneath her, only to be brought into reality.

"Shhhh," Lucian hummed, "Sweetheart, you're dreaming. Wake up; you're alright," he repeated in an almost chant, and she felt him press his lips to her forehead, smoothing his hands over her hair and holding her in his arms. He was sitting upright in her bed, bracing his back against the head board and holding her in his lap with her head pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her.

A wave of relief washed over her.

"Lucian!" Norivana cried shakily, shivering and sobbing, still horrified by what her mind had just forced her to endure. It was like the Warlock's torture all over again. She gripped her fingers into Lucian's tunic as he continued to hold her, and she scrunched her eyes shut, still crying and trying to get a grip on reality. Lucian was alive, Garrosh wasn't here, and everything was still okay.

Everything is still okay, she repeated to herself, until after a few minutes, she managed to calm down. The woman had ceased crying, but she hadn't released Lucian's shirt, the image of him wheezing his bloody, dying breath sticking in her mind and threatening her sanity. His comforting voice thrummed through his chest as he spoke.

"That must have been one hell of a nightmare," he said softly, stroking her hair with his thumb.

Norivana let out another shuddering sob, nodding and finally opened her eyes, which didn't do much, seeing as it was dark in her room. She reached up one hand tentatively, placing her fingers along the base of Lucian's jaw and leaning up to capture his lips with her own. She kissed him earnestly, letting the pain slowly ebb away as he returned her love tenfold, leaning into her kiss while she indulged in his healing touch. He wasn't dead. He was healthy, safe, and alive, and here she was, securely fastened in his arms.

She paused her assault, studying his glowing golden eyes. "I am never letting you out of my sight," she murmured as she brushed a strand of hair from his face.

The man let out an almost audible sigh, wrapping his arms tighter, more possessively as he brought her back in and smiled. "Fine by me," he said, speaking against her lips before claiming them again.

Norivana couldn't help it and tears fell again as she tried her damnedest to push that horrible image of the man she loved getting his heart ripped from his chest out of her mind. She worked at convincing herself that it wasn't real, that nothing was more real than what she had right now, right there in her arms at that moment. She had him, wholly, entirely, and he wasn't going anywhere. Garrosh sure as hell was not going to take him away from her, not while she had a say in the matter.

Lucian broke their embrace after a moment. "Do you need to talk about it?" he asked her softly, "I've never seen you like this before."

Norivana shook her head, kissing him once more and lingering there before she pulled back to speak. "It doesn't matter. It was just a dream."

His glowing eyes flicked between hers, a wave of understanding washed over him, and he nodded. "Alright," he said, giving her a worried look but dropping the subject.

A moment passed.

"Just..." she began, halting her words for a moment, sitting up, though still resting against his lap. She frowned, "Don't underestimate Hellscream. Promise me you'll stay away from him."

He fastened his hands on her waist, giving her a peculiar look. "Now I'm extremely curious..."

"Just do that for me, alright?" Norivana gave him a weak smile.

He cocked his head to the side, donning a sympathetic expression and letting out a silent sigh, running his hands along her arms, down to her hands and clasping them in his own. "If doing so constitutes your happiness, I won't hesitate," he murmured in a comforting voice.

Norivana leaned forward and kissed him again before crawling off his lap and back into the covers of her bed. He made to get up as if to leave, and Norivana reached an arm out, placing her hand on his before he managed to escape.

"Stay," she pleaded almost pitifully, and he immediately halted, glancing at her and climbing back into the bed. Norivana snuggled deep into the blankets as Lucian wrapped an arm over her, holding her close to him in a makeshift cocoon.

About thirty seconds passed as Norivana tried desperately to calm her nerves and mind enough for her to fall asleep, but after what she'd just dreamt, it was practically impossible. She squirmed around a little in the blankets, frustrated, then sighed.

"There's no way I'm getting any more sleep tonight," she griped, and Lucian shifted, leaning up on one elbow to peer over at her.

"Oh really?" he smiled, his voice charming, "I'm sure we could find _some_ way to pass the time."

Norivana turned over, smirking at him and speaking with a hint of humor. "Are you suggesting...?" she trailed off.

Lucian traced a finger along her long ear and leaned in to kiss her. "There are other options for two people to do besides sleep," he hinted, his golden eyes dancing.

Norivana giggled happily, obliging and rolling over onto his chest. "Subtle," she joked, grinning.

He wrapped his arms around her as she met his smiling lips with her own, both falling together into a world of bliss.

* * *

To Norivana's surprise, despite her eventful night, she _did_ manage to fall asleep again. When she awoke, dim morning light was peeking through the windows, casting soft shadows onto the floor.

She yawned widely, sitting up and glancing beside her, expecting her elf to be there. However, his spot was bare, and he'd been replaced by a little white fluffball sleeping near the pillow. Norivana scratched behind Snowball's ears and scooted off the bed, teetering over to grab some day clothes. Her face burned a deep red when she realized that in the night, her nightshirt had ended up tossed down onto the floor and she was currently in a state of undress. Quickly, she pulled out the first two articles of clothing from her dresser that she saw and jammed them on before stuffing shoes on her feet, tying her unruly hair up and skipping out of her room. It was still very early, as the sun hadn't even matured yet, but she knew most of the elves would be up and around already.

She didn't spot Lucian anywhere as she aimlessly wandered about the vast orchard, around the food storage cabins and by the fires, beside the bathing pools and back to the main tree. It was right about now when she'd give anything to have her trusty Tauren nearby, if anything just for a little familiar company. The Night Elves were wonderful, yes, but sometimes one needs some continuity.

As she let a cup of hot herbal tea brew, Norivana also realized she hadn't seen Sarion anywhere, and she now remembered what the plan was for today. In the confusion and excitement of the night, she'd completely forgotten that Lucian was going to be attempting a possibly-fatal spell on his friend, all in the name of sleep. She also recalled him saying that he'd be seeking out his father's wisdom on the subject; Edoril was like a walking, talking encyclopedia of helpful knowledge, and if there was anyone who could help Lucian find out what he needed to, it'd be his father.

She carried her piping-hot tea carefully back up to her room, cautious not to spill it while she eased back onto the edge of her bed, sitting back on the cushion and pulling her knees up closer in a cross-legged style. Snowball purred and climbed into Norivana's lap and Norivana leaned back against the head board, sipping her tea in content silence and letting her mind mull over the events of the night before.

She'd had a nightmare, and a gnarly one at that. It had seemed so real, as if not so much of a dream as a vision, and if not for Lucian there to wake her up, she might've gone on thinking it was real for some time.

After that whole ordeal though, well... It was smooth sailing from there.

Norivana blushed, smirking to herself and chewing on her lower lip as she remembered it all, then took a sip of the hot beverage. The only thing that could've made the night with Lucian any better would be if she'd woken up with the man sleeping by her side.

She understood why he wasn't there, of course, but that didn't mean she didn't miss his presence.

A faint sound of familiar voices downstairs bought her attention and she promptly hopped off the bed, setting her teacup on the table and scooping up the kitten as she made her way out and down the stairs. She recognized a voice as Edoril, rich and booming as always, despite the fact that he was speaking calmly.

"As long as this works," he said as Norivana entered the area, "Not only you, but Catalpa, Lena, and I can all perform the revival spell as well."

He was speaking to Lucian, who was facing his father and had his back turned to Norivana. Beside Lucian was Sarion, who was standing tall and straight despite the fact that he looked like he'd had the life wrung out of him.

Sarion spoke up. "So it's a blood spell?"

Edoril nodded, "Precisely. It's not _intended_ to be one, but nothing is absolute. With the correct resources, one can alter a spell to do just about anything."

"It'll work with anyone in my gene pool, then?" Lucian spoke up this time, his voice surprisingly calm despite what he was about to do.

"Only those directly related to you, yes," Edoril nodded again. He then rubbed his palms together as if preparing himself, "So, are you ready?"

Lucian turned to look at Sarion expectantly, giving him an apprehensive look until the black-haired elf jerked his head once in a nod. Lucian looked back at his father. "It appears we are."

Norivana followed them outside, confused as to why they weren't just putting Sarion in bed or something instead. She walked up next to Lucian, who apparently noticed her there for the first time, and he paused, waiting for her to join his side and wordlessly wrapping a hand in hers as they walked out of the tree and around the side of it.

"What are we doing out here?" Norivana asked aloud, feeling a bit dumb for asking it; no one else seemed confused, so she knew she was the only one who didn't know what was going on.

Lucian gave her a smile, then his eyes tensed as he glanced to the side, "I'll explain it all in a moment. First, I've got a spell to prepare."

Norivana nodded at him, taking a step back and watching everything from a safe distance.

Edoril led Sarion over to one spot of the tree that sported a particularly large root, large enough to sit on or even lie down upon, if one desired to do so. And that was exactly what Sarion did.

He walked over to the tree and sat down, bracing his back on the curved surface of the bark and leaning against it like one would a pillow-heavy bed. Lucian then stood across from him, giving his friend a worried look, then masking it quickly with a smile. He gave his father a tentative glance, and Edoril nodded at him reassuringly as Lucian pulled out a simple hunting knife from his belt. The man held out his palm, facing it upward while taking the knife in the other hand and dragging the blade against his skin to reveal a clean, glistening red cut that quickly began seeping blood down between his fingers and dripping into the grass. Lucian winced at first at the sharp pain, then looked ahead at Sarion one more time.

"One month, alright?" Lucian said, his voice holding a hint of worry.

Sarion nodded at him, so Lucian then tensed his shoulders in concentration, and up from the base of the tree came dozens of tiny roots, along with branches and bark itself growing outward toward his fingers like tendrils. With a flick of his wrists, the tendrils began wrapping around his bleeding palm, and Lucian gritted his jaw as the bark began to harden against the wound.

Then, without hesitation, Lucian reached out and pressed his bleeding, bark-covered hand against Sarion's sternum, and Sarion's eyes widened momentarily before dimming almost entirely and closing. His body followed, beginning to slump, and that was when Edoril stepped in, bracing the unconscious elf up against the tree while the bark from Lucian's hand untwisted and began spreading over Sarion's chest, wrapping around him like a fitted blanket. Lucian stepped one step back and began molding the wood around Sarion's sleeping form, and when he had reached everywhere but from Sarion's shoulders and up, he paused a moment, staring at the man with a mixed expression. Sarion's face was completely slack, his eyes shut and head hanging forward. He looked like he was sleeping, but Norivana worried there was a thinning line between the man's slumber and his death. He wasn't moving a single muscle, not even breathing.

Lucian let out an almost completely soundless sigh before finishing the job, letting the entire thing merge with and cover his friend in a protective bark covering. When he was finished, the only recognizable part of Sarion was his face, and even it had been covered; the rest of him almost entirely blended in with the bark.

Norivana just stared in surprise, as did Lucian, his jaw set tightly.

Norivana spoke up. "Why did you have to fuse him to the tree?"

When Lucian didn't say anything, Edoril spoke up to the side. "The tree will serve as a preserver. Sarion's life force is now bound with it; he would waste away without it because his body wouldn't be strong enough to function while he rests. Right now, in an odd sense, Sarion _is_ the tree."

Blinking, Norivana glanced up at Lucian, who finally looked away from the wooden cast of his friend and gave her a delicate smile. "It's true," he said.

"Why this tree specifically, though?" Norivana frowned.

"Technically we could've chosen any living thing," Lucian said, glancing up into the tall branches above, "But this tree is by far the strongest and most protected source we have." He patted the bark once.

"So now we wait?" Norivana asked, cocking her head.

Lucian nodded. "Yep," he said, turning to walk back around the tree, "Now we wait."

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**I think I'm gonna update this story a few more times before I tend to my other ones. **

**Very, very soon, things'll be heating up for the final siege battle. I'm so excited. :D**


	27. Awakening

**My updates will be short and frequent for the next few chapters, if anything just for dramatic effect. ;) Just letting you guys know for now. Prepare for little chapters with cliffhangers!**

**Review Responses:**

**Aeschielle-Moonguard: No kidding... That nightmare made _me_ mad at Garrosh. Moar updates = success! I'm keeping 'em coming, short as they may be!**

**Zarabethe: I had to do it! Couldn't help mehself! ;) And oh gawsh if it weren't hours past my usual bedtime I'd be reading up right now. I'll catch up as much as I can tomorrow... The suspense is killing me right now! **

**Sonya-Valentine: Rawr! Scare that bad Orc away for me, will ya? It'll save Vana and Lucian the trouble. ;) **

**Connet: My exact reaction to writing that chapter... xD**

**Jay: Thank you so much! :D**

**Peachycupcake: No kidding, the suspense, you know? And yeah, I'm gonna be updating more frequently, hopefully! Short chapters, but lots o' updates.**

**Raistlin: Yesss! Lucian is in a no-kill zone. All who dare oppose that rule get destroyed! **

**Rock On: Right? ;D Crazy kids...**

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Tiny beads of sweat dripped down Norivana's brow despite the cool, near-autumn breeze that blew through the barracks, and she paused a moment, wiping her brow with her forearm before picking back up again. Her blades worked in a continuous dance against the combat dummy; however, her mind was in another place entirely.

It was almost time to administer the revival spell to Sarion. The four weeks following his fusion with the tree passed by slowly, with not much excitement other than the fact that Lena Silverpaw now had the blonde Rogue leader wrapped around her finger, and that Norivana - to her own shock - discovered that the four Harrington siblings were all Worgen. In retrospect, the surprise had been an entertaining one, but in the moment it was nothing but terrifying.

She had been sitting outside in the shade of a tree, half-paying attention to a book in her hands, when the siblings had approached the orchard. She'd stood to greet them, and all had gone smoothly until Annalisa suddenly craned forward and almost dog-like latched her teeth onto Jacob's arm, apparently in a joking manner. Jacob let out a strange snarl, and before Norivana had a chance to get out of the way, both siblings had already grown sharp teeth and thick fur and were sprinting off through the forest on all fours. Norivana knew a Worgen when she saw one, but the fact that she'd known these four for nearly three weeks before discovering what they were was what threw her off so badly. Well, that, plus the whole 'shifting-forms-from-two-feet-away-and-fighting-ea ch-other' thing got to her as well. In a fit of mistrust, she'd asked Ian if he too was a wolf-man, and Ian had been so tickled by the idea that for the next couple of days, he would howl loudly at her whenever he saw her, gaining the laughter of anyone around.

But now, she'd been passing her time through combat practice, almost mindlessly working her attacks against the target dummies. Despite the fact that she'd been trained in subtlety for such a long time, she had begun resorting to other more direct techniques than her traditional backstabs and stealth attacks. If the rumors were true, Wrynn would be leading a full army in a direct siege against Garrosh Hellscream's home city. Norivana knew that sneaking around wouldn't do much when fighting that large of a horde. Not only that, but it was possible that if she managed to participate in the battle, she would be engaging multiple enemies, and she knew it was best she take that into consideration while she honed her skills.

Thinking of it right now, Norivana couldn't entirely process the fact that it was a legitimate possibility: the war, the siege on the Horde capital. It seemed like a fairy tale. The thought of marching against a city she'd lived in for years, fighting alongside those she'd fought against less than a year before, it all gave her an odd sense of betrayal. Betrayal, mixed with sadness, determination, and a hint of spite. But even that, the sentimentality she felt toward her old home (despite its setbacks), was overruled by the venom that clouded her mind every time she thought of the corrupt tyrant, the creature whose name alone boiled her blood. Not only was she becoming plagued by nightmares that had become increasingly horrific each night, but now word of Garrosh's destruction in Pandaria was sweeping through the nation. Pandaria, though Norivana had never been, seemed almost like a heaven on earth. For Garrosh to directly attack, raze, and ravage a land of peace set Norivana's anger aflame.

In response to the news, High King Varian Wrynn had announced publicly that he would not stand idly by while Garrosh rallies his Orc forces to rise up against the races of Azeroth. He ordered the military to go into overtime, managing to finally breach Garrosh's blockade that was set up in Kalimdor and send reinforcements to Northwatch Hold, which was where the Alliance forces were grouping.

The King had finally, actually said it: they were going to war.

Norivana gave her practice dummy a particularly generous stab to the chest, letting out an angry huff as she vented her stress against the inanimate, innocent object. She'd known this time was coming, just hadn't anticipated it to be so soon. Wasn't it just six months ago that she and Aitto were kneeling before the Warchief, receiving their death sentences and vowing to exact revenge upon the man? Six months, and her entire life had flipped a one-eighty. It had turned for the better, that was without a doubt; but it was rushed even so. She'd barely had time to breathe until this past month, and even that was about to end with the war between Garrosh and the rest of the world.

She sent another powerful jab into the burlap fabric of the dummy's head, now not even caring about the sweat dripping relentlessly into her eyes. Letting out a frustrated grunt as she hit the mutilated dummy with the hilt of her blade, she finally slumped her arms, panting and sweating from her exertion. She reached up, wiping her forehead again, when a man clearing his throat momentarily startled her. It was mid-evening, and on weeknights, Norivana was usually the only one out practicing this late, save the occasional straggler who'd stay late a night or two to get the hang of a new tactic. She looked in the direction of the sound, squinting her eyes through the shade of a nearby tree to see a welcome sight.

Lucian was leaning against the oak, expression affectionate but eyes tense. His arms were crossed and between his teeth sprouted a long single blade of tufted grass, which he chewed absentmindedly, his jaw pulsing slightly with each beat.

"Hey," he said, smiling and standing up straight, starting to walk over to her, "I miss you."

"Miss me?" Norivana wiped her forehead again, sheathing her blades. "I haven't left."

"I never see you anymore, what with our separate training." He referenced the fact that he had been training a handful of tribe volunteers and that Norivana had been training with Ian, and that the couple hadn't managed to get in a good conversation for nearly the full four weeks.

"I know," Norivana said almost apologetically, grimacing slightly.

He shrugged his shoulders as he stopped in front of her, then assessed her ragged appearance. "You really pushed yourself today."

Norivana nodded. "I've got to, if I want any chance of survival in this war. This won't be a simple walk in the park, you know."

At her words, his brow tightened and his eyes darted between hers, donning an expression of pain. His jaw pulsed as he pulled the grass stem from between his teeth and let it drop to the ground, fingers tightening in a restrained ball. His demeanor had changed so quickly, going from relaxed to tense and somewhat stressed, that Norivana blinked a few times in surprise.

"What is it?" she asked.

He took in a deep breath and then glanced up behind her at something far off, eyes flicking back and forth. His mouth was flattened in a firm line as he chewed his lip, apparently trying to choose words and failing.

"Lucian," Norivana said softly, taking a step closer and placing a gentle hand on his arm, "Seriously, talk to me. What's wrong?"

"All this time," he began, finally letting his gaze drop to hers, "All this time, I've been burying the idea of... Of this actually happening."

"Of what happening?"

"The war," he said, then quoted her, "You 'fighting for a chance of survival'." He let out a sigh, "I never processed the possibility that we could... That you might..." his words broke then, and he yet again tightened his jaw and dropped his gaze entirely.

Norivana finally understood. He merely didn't want her to die, and frankly, she didn't want to either. She smirked, "Lucian," she said with a soft chuckle, closing their distance and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. She rested her face against his chest as she spoke, "You do know I've been doing this my whole life, right? If there's anything I'm good at, it's staying alive." She pulled back, glancing up at him, "I'm not going anywhere. No one can take this away from us. Not Hellscream, not anyone."

His eyes flickered their pure, intense gold and he leaned in closer, placing his lips on hers, kissing her gently before wrapping his arms around her in a hug again. "I'll hold you to that," he said, his voice regaining its usual lighthearted tone.

Norivana smiled, and she would've been perfectly happy standing right there in that simple embrace for the rest of eternity, but she got a whiff of her own armor and grimaced.

"I stink!" she said, pulling away from him, "Don't hug me, I'm all gross and sweaty."

"Oh no!" he said, over-exaggerating a gasp, and he grinned teasingly, "My one weakness: Sweat." He gave her a mischievous smile and in two seconds, he'd swept her up off the ground, kissing her again as she wrapped her arms behind his neck and shoulders. After a moment, he pulled away, smirking. "I'm thoroughly disgusted," he said, "Can't you tell?"

Norivana giggled and shoved his shoulder playfully. "Go soak your head," she said, laughing, though still unable to escape his hold.

He grinned, flashing pearly, sharp cat-like canines, and she kissed him once more before he finally let her go. "I actually came here to tell you supper's ready," he said.

Norivana cheered happily and walked back with Lucian through the streets and back into the orchard, where they found a large table set up, teeming with food and settled by tribe members. Norivana's mouth watered and she immediately put thoughts of bathing out of her mind, at least until she'd had her proper meal.

* * *

"Rise and shine," a familiar voice woke her up the next morning, and Norivana rolled over to greet it, smiling lazily at Lucian, who was dressing himself near the balcony. He continued, "I'm waking up Sarion today."

Norivana sat up, now fully awake. "Now?"

"Well not at this very instant," Lucian laughed. "In a few minutes, yeah."

The ground was cold to the touch when her feet hit the wood, and she felt goosebumps cover her skin as she crawled out of the bed and quickly changed into some thick linen trousers and a fine tunic. "It's getting cold," she mused, glancing out the window, noting that although the weather was growing chilly, the leaves on the trees were green as ever.

"Aye," Lucian nodded, glancing through the archway as well, then back at her, "I love it."

"You would, Frosty," Norivana smirked.

"Frosty?" he chuckled as he strapped his second boot on.

"Yeah, Frosty," Norivana grinned. "You're a frost Mage, plus you're blue. And your hair is frosty-white. Can't get frostier than that."

"Say the word 'frost' one more time, and I swear..." Lucian grinned back at her in a dare, shaking his head as he edged closer to her.

Norivana gave him a mischievous look. "Fr-" she began, but her word was cut off as he yet again picked her up and kissed her, his arms wrapped snugly around her.

The knock that came at her door then should have interrupted them, but they were so caught up in their actions that they didn't react until a hand nudged Lucian's shoulder, causing him to finally set Norivana down and address Edoril, who was giving his son an amused look.

"What is it?" Lucian asked, his voice sounding surprisingly annoyed, as if Edoril had seriously inconvenienced him. Norivana giggled, and a corner of Lucian's mouth finally pulled at a smirk.

"You ready?" Edoril raised a brow at Lucian, looking highly entertained.

Lucian sighed, but he looked somewhat excited. "Quite."

"Let's go then," Edoril said, and the three of them made their way down and out to Sarion's wooden form.

Norivana grimaced. "Do you have to cut yourself again?" she asked Lucian with a frown.

"Yes," he said, "But it's alright. I can heal myself, remember?"

He received nothing but a quiet nod in response, and then Norivana continued, "What do you have to do for the revival spell?"

"Actually," Lucian said, "As long as our assumptions are correct, all I need to do is get a little blood and a little Druidic magic and it should work like a charm. Doesn't matter what spell I use."

"Don't let me keep you from it, then," Norivana said, taking a step back as Lucian cracked his knuckles and approached Sarion's resting spot.

He pulled out a knife, yet again slicing the same hand and then summoning a bit of simple healing magic, not enough to heal his own cut, but enough to count apparently, because within seconds of him placing his hand on the bark, it began to recede. It was as if he'd parted a sea, the way the wood peeled away, finally revealing a surprising sight.

Sarion had become a whole new man. Where he'd had sunken, greyed sockets under his eyes, he now had a healthy, rejuvenated color. He'd gained a lot of his lost weight back, and his skin and jet-black hair seemed almost younger, the way it shined in the morning light. His eyes were closed and relaxed under his striking brows, his lips were fuller, and Norivana couldn't believe this was the same man she'd seen a month ago.

"He looks incredible," she breathed, and while Lucian worked the spell, Edoril nodded.

"The tree was good to him," he mused, "Looks like he not only channeled its life, but its health as well. He's good as new."

"He's better than I've ever seen him," Norivana agreed.

Lucian got the final touches finished and took a step back, staring at the still-sleeping, now-very-healthy man. Lucian looked pleased, but the fact that Sarion hadn't awoken yet was worrying him.

"Sarion," he said hesitantly, slowly reaching out a hand to Sarion's shoulder. "Sarion," he repeated, placing his hand on the man and giving him a nudge.

Any worries anyone had were abolished as the man opened his golden, strong glowing eyes. He sat up, stretching his arms out as he made eye contact with Lucian.

"How do you feel?" Lucian asked him, smiling.

"Lucian," Sarion said, his eyes dancing. He looked far too happy to just be waking up, and Norivana was surprised at how different the man looked with a true smile on his face. It was an incredibly massive improvement.

Lucian patted him on the back, "Buddy, you have no idea how happy I am to see you're alright," he said, and it looked like he was about to say something else, but Sarion interrupted him.

"Lucian," Sarion repeated, grinning.

"What?" Lucian paused his initial thought, giving Sarion a curious stare.

Sarion, giving Lucian an intense, happy stare, continued. "I saw Unaril."

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**Wwwhhhaaaaaat?! **

**Anyways. The actual Siege itself is probably starting within the next 5 chapters, or at least, the precursors. **

**Right now, in my story, they're at about 1.5 months before the battle. So it's coming up very soon!**


	28. New Information

**Another short chapter for you guys! **

**Seriously, I feel like such a slacker writing a 2k WC chapter instead of 7 or 8. That's okay, though! There's a reason I'm making them short**!

**Review Responses: **

**I'm awesome and y'all know it: I'm excited about the big battle. :) I already have it all planned out, too! **

**Connet: Lolol silly dads don't understand... 'Sokay.. Mine would probably give me the same reaction. **

**Arenhai: *evil cackle* I'm _so_ evil. You'll despise me at the end of this chapter! xD**

**peachycupcake: Don't worry! They're short chapters! ;)**

**Aeschielle: Information overload! xD I miss Unaril.**.

**Sonya-Valentine: You... You..- YOU OBLITERATED HIM? Even his ASHES? My goodness, now what am I gonna do now with no Garrosh to kill, hmm?!**

**Zarabethe: I miss Unaril too... He was one of my favorites; I can't even begin to describe how conflicted I was when I killed him. xD**

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**Anyways, this is Lucian's POV now. It'll switch back soon, I just wanted to mix it up a bit. :)**

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After pouring his fifth refill of brandy, Lucian took a sip of the biting fruity beverage, then set his glass down on the wooden table beside him. He studied Sarion for a moment in the dim candlelight, seeing no lie in the man's eyes but still unable to accept his words as truth. Leaning back in his chair, Lucian placed his fingertips together, deep in thought, until he finally spoke up. "I still see no correlation between the sleeping spell and your claim to seeing Unaril in your dream," he murmured, shaking his head.

"But it wasn't a dream, Lucian," Sarion pleaded while leaning forward, bracing his elbows on the table and giving Lucian a convincing look. "I'm telling you, I know what I saw. I wasn't sleeping; I was in an actual world. A realm, much like that of the Emerald Dream."

Lucian cocked his head, giving his friend a confused stare. "But you never sought to find out where you were?"

"I knew exactly where I was," Sarion said, "I knew the name of the place, how I got there, everything. Only issue is, now that I'm gone, I remember almost nothing of the world other than its basics."

"And..." Lucian furrowed his brow. "You think you saw Unaril?"

"I _know_ I saw him," Sarion was becoming more and more exasperated, but he still held a light expression with a hint of excitement. "Not only that, but I spent the whole day with him."

"Day?" Lucian asked. "Sarion, in case you've forgotten, you were down for an entire month."

Sarion's brows tensed and he squinted his eyes, perplexed. "No, I was gone a day, at best."

"A month," Lucian said slowly, "You were gone a month."

"I..." Sarion began, then huffed loudly and sat back in his seat again, placing a hand to his forehead. "This is all so confusing."

Lucian chuckled quietly, then thought a moment. "So, if this world really is... real," he began hesitantly, "What is Unaril doing there?"

Sarion's head jerked back up and he almost immediately regained his excited demeanor. "That's the best part," he said, leaning forward again, "It's the tree."

Lucian just gave Sarion an expectant, confused look, so Sarion continued, "Unaril is preserved in it. His essence, spirit, whatever you'd like to call it; it's now a part of the tree. I think that by burying him within its roots, you managed to keep him from... moving on."

This time it was Lucian's turn to rub his temples. What kind of old magic had he dabbled with now? This was only going to add to the stress he already had with everything that was going on around him, and there was no way he'd be able to focus on anything other than this until he'd discovered the truth. If Unaril really was in some sort of separate spirit world and Lucian would be able to visit that world by nothing more than merging with a tree, Lucian wouldn't be able to help it: he'd have to see it for himself.

That is, if what Sarion was saying was true. Lucian knew the man would never lie to him intentionally, but he also knew that Sarion's mind could be fragile or confused. The spell Lucian had performed on the man was a doozy, and who knows? Maybe his dreams had been intensified just like his slumber had.

Then again, the reasoning behind Sarion's claim to seeing his brother was somewhat solid; it was highly possible that Unaril had been contained by the giant tree. Lucian had never heard of such a thing, but that didn't mean it was impossible. Magic has endless possibilities.

Lucian drummed his fingers on the wood of the table as he thought all this to himself. The room the two of them were in was dark, save for a single lit candle lamp that only just managed to illuminate both of their faces. Norivana had gone to bed hours earlier, as had the majority of the tribe members, and the men were trying to speak quietly to avoid waking anyone, even though they were only on the first floor of the tree.

"I want to try it," Lucian finally said, "I want to see it for myself." If there was a chance he could see Unaril, his best friend to whom he had never managed to send a true goodbye, he'd leap for such an opportunity.

Sarion nodded encouragingly, his smooth horns reflecting the candlelight as he did so, "I'm telling you, I know he's there."

"Only one way to find out," Lucian said, tightening his brows.

"When are you going to try it?" Sarion asked, looking surprisingly excited at the idea.

"Soon as possible," Lucian replied, "Edoril or I will teach Lena how to administer the spell."

Sarion raised his brows, "You think she's able? Maybe you should consult Catalpa."

Lucian smirked and gave Sarion a look. "You know Catalpa will stop me the moment she gets wind of what I'm doing. No, Lena should do it. She's the most capable person in this tribe," Lucian said, "I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up surpassing my skill level within a mere few years. She'll be great."

Sarion shook his head, giving Lucian a 'what-are-you-waiting-for' smile and a shrug. "Looks like you're set then."

"Appears so," Lucian said, downing the rest of his drink and then stretching his arms out wide. He yawned, then stood from his seat. "For now, though, I'm going to get some rest."

"I'll see if I can too," Sarion said as he stood, "I've got a good feeling about this."

As Lucian pushed his chair in, he smiled. "Me too, Sarion." He patted his friend on the back before turning to the ramp and heading upstairs. He did his best to keep his boots from clunking too loudly against the wooden floor as he quietly eased Norivana's door open, then stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a subtle 'click'. He'd been sleeping in Norivana's room every night, even after his own had been completed; she'd put up quite a fuss when she thought he'd be sleeping a whole level up in the tree, and he certainly didn't mind sleeping there with her instead. It had become somewhat of a silent understanding that this was 'their' room now, not just hers.

The woman stirred slightly but stayed fast asleep, but rather than getting right into bed, Lucian stretched widely, then walked out onto the balcony. Argyle, who was resting on the far end of the railing, hooted quietly and ruffled his feathers before inspecting the air around him. The owl caught sight of something, prey most likely, and took off through the air like a bullet, then dropped almost ninety degrees straight toward the ground and dipped out of sight.

Lucian stared on through the darkness, smiling to himself and letting his mind wander. Apparently, Sarion had seen Unaril. Real Unaril. _The_ Unaril. And there was a possibility that Lucian could see him too, thanks to the spell. He knew Catalpa would sock him a good one when he woke back up, but that wasn't what he was _really_ worried about.

He was worried more about Norivana. What would be her opinion on this? Or rather, what if she said no, what if she said don't do it?

A tiny part of his mind kept nagging at him, telling him it was a bad idea, that it was bad timing, that the choice of not discussing it with her would come back around to bite him, etcetera. Lucian shrugged those thoughts away. It's easier to seek forgiveness than permission, right?

...Right?

He rubbed his eyes. Perhaps it was the many glasses of alcohol he'd had that night pulling at his inhibitions, or perhaps he truly was contemplating this. Either way, it didn't matter right now. Tonight, he wanted to sleep off the effects of his drinks, and that was it. Whatever he ended up deciding, he wanted it to be when he was well-rested, and more importantly: sober.

Lucian hummed a quiet tune as he sat down on the edge of the large bed, loosening the straps on his boots and shucking them to the side, followed by his shirt, which he tossed into a makeshift hamper beside the far wall. He craned his neck, turning to look at the small, sleeping woman curled up in the covers. He smiled, noting the way her fiery hair was tangled over her face and across her pillow, and how she had inadvertently claimed ownership over the entire bed. She was lying diagonally and had managed to wrap all four corners of the blanket around herself, sprawling one arm over onto Lucian's side of the bed and one leg onto her own, effectively taking up more-or-less the entire space.

Still smiling, he shook his head in amusement. The woman did this every night, or at least, every night that he was late to bed. He'd come up here to find her sprawled across the whole thing, snoozing comfortably. An extravagant sleeper... He'd expected nothing less.

Careful not to jostle her too much, he eventually managed to unwrap her from her blanket cocoon and slide her over to her side of the bed, then he himself lied down, wrapping the blanket over himself. Norivana mumbled something incoherent in her sleep, squirming around in the blankets and ending her gibberish with a word that sounded like it _should_ be an actual word, but wasn't. Lucian grinned to himself, laughing internally, and he reached over, wrapping one arm around the oh-so-articulate woman and finally falling asleep.

* * *

It was just before the crack of dawn two days later, and both Edoril and Lena were giving Lucian questioning looks.

"This is your last chance to change your mind," Edoril said, giving Lucian a smile laced in warning, "I'm sure you'll be fine, but you know we won't be able to wake you for nearly a month, and I don't know how well Norivana will take it."

Lucian smiled, then repeated a phrase that had popped into his alcohol-induced head two nights ago. "Easier to ask forgiveness than permission," he said, shrugging, "Besides, I'll be back before she even begins to miss me."

"Alright," Edoril just shook his head and stared at Lucian with a very unconvinced expression. "Just warning you: Hell hath no fury."

Lucian hesitated for only a moment, feeling conflicted. Norivana wouldn't be upset about it, would she? All he was doing was a quick spell to see if what Sarion was saying was true. Not only that, but he'd be back in a month... That was no time at all! Why would she be upset if he was sleeping for a month? She'd surely understand...

...Then again, that raised a new question: If he wasn't anticipating her being upset, why hadn't he told her about it?

He waved the thoughts away, smiling at his dad.

"It'll be fine," he said, shrugging and sitting down in the designated spot, leaning his back against the bark of the tree. It was surprisingly smooth, and Lucian relaxed back as Lena stepped in front of him, giving him one last warning look before shrugging and pulling out a clean knife from her belt. She dragged it across her hand, wincing slightly as crimson blood began to drip from her palm, down into the lush grass. She began the spell, doing an impressive job for just one day of study, working even faster than Lucian had when he'd done it.

She reached the hand forward, which was now twisted in wood and bark, and the last thing Lucian saw before suddenly drifting off to sleep was the wooden tendrils enveloping him into the tree.

* * *

**Uh oh...**

**This twist has a purpose.. I promise. ;) **


	29. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

**Yet another chapter up and roaring. This one's... different. Introducing a new character in this chapter, a guy who'll show up again in Reawakening as a medium/minor plot character.**

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**Review Responses:**

**NyteKnight: Oh yes, yes he is. xD**

**Zarabethe: One side of Azeroth to the other, more like. ;D**

**Connet: You're actually pretty dang accurate on that one! That is the Norivana reaction!**

**Rock On: Ultimate slacker of all time? Impressive... I wish I had a cool title like that. **

**Sonya-Valentine: Looks like Lucian doesn't just have Norivana to worry about, huh? xD And oh, good, Garrosh is back, so we can keep the battle!**

**I'm awesome and y'all know it: A whole dang month! Thankfully, that month passes with this chapter so it won't be drawn out. :P**

**Raistlin: I can't wait for the battle..! I've got the chapter(s) for it planned. We'll see how it goes when I write it though...**

**Aeschielle: HE DID A BAD THING, THAT MAN! Silly men. So thick at times...**

**Guest: Thanks for the review! :D Yeah, once I got about halfway into this story, I started to really pick up on my inconsistencies (which are somewhat drastic) with the lore after studying Blood Elves, and I nearly pulled all my hair out in self-deprecation. However, I then decided it'd be best to just stick with what I had rather than try to patch it up... I'm not strong enough of a writer that I'd be successful in that endeavor... Knowing my tendencies, I'd mangle my story halfway to Hellfire, and I definitely don't want to do that! xD**

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**Anyways, just to let you readers know, we are so close to the final battle, I can practically taste it... If that's even possible..! So bear with me with these slower-paced chapters. I'm just getting in everything I need to before we get to the battle. :)**

**Thanks to all my readers, reviewers, followers and favorite-ers! You are all awesome!**

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"Lucian... did... WHAT?"

Both Lena and Edoril were standing a good distance from the infuriated Blood Elf, cringing as she proceeded to let out a string of curses, some unintelligible and some that the two were pretty sure she just made up on the spot. Norivana's creativity surrounding her choice of words actually made the the two elves' ears blush scarlet as they wondered how words so foul could come from such a benign woman.

Norivana was livid. How could Lucian do something like that, something so _dangerous_? Did he have no regards to his own well-being? Was it not he who said that the spell _kills_ its target? So... technically... Lucian was currently _dead?!_

She began muttering under her breath, fists balled as she paced the ground outside the tree, refusing to look at the wooden figure that was Lucian. She wouldn't even begin to let herself worry for his safety - not yet, anyhow. She was still a bit preoccupied with the fact that he'd done something so utterly stupid and reckless_. _She was so appalled, she didn't even care if he returned.

...That was a lie.

Of course she cared. She cared too much; that was the problem. What could have possibly gone through his mind when he was doing this? He would have obviously known how this would affect her. Of course he would've known. If he hadn't, well, that would mean he didn't know how she truly felt about him, that he didn't realize what him being in danger did to her... How much it killed her inside.

And these two: Edoril and Lena. They had helped him commit the deed. Norivana glared, finally turning her attention fully toward them.

"You," Norivana began, sending a glare toward Edoril, and then toward Lena, "And you." She took a step forward, fuming, "What in all of Azeroth were you _thinking?_! How could you let him do something like this?"

Edoril opened his mouth to speak, but Lena interrupted, her voice harsh.

"He asked me to, that's how," Lena said sharply, becoming defensive.

"If a toddler asks for a blade, do you give it to him?" Norivana snapped back, cocking her head.

Lena clamped her mouth shut, tensing her brows, and Norivana continued, "This is the most reckless thing I've ever heard of, and that's saying something. How long will he be in there? A month at least?" She turned to Edoril, giving him an almost pleading look, "Edoril, we leave for Northwatch in just six weeks. What will Lucian's trainees do in his absence? They now have no one to train them, and with a month out of practice, they'll be almost useless when they're needed most."

Edoril finally managed to get his words in this time. "I understand it was a rash choice," he said calmly, "But you must understand: he's still young. He needs to learn from mistakes, not from warnings."

"Can't you teach him a lesson in some other way, at some other time?" Norivana almost whined, "Why did you think now, of all times, that this was a good idea?" She pursed her lips. "And about him being young: He's twice my age, and I'd never do something so thoughtless."

Edoril took a step forward, giving Norivana a sharp but apologetic look and placing a hand on her shoulder, "Norivana, I am very sorry you're taking this so badly, but it's too late to complain about it. We can't bring him back for at least a month, so it's useless getting mad over what's done."

"Useless?" she fumed, "You think my hurt feelings are 'Useless'?"

He looked trapped. "N...No," he began, but she interrupted.

"-And why didn't any of you tell me about this? Why didn't Lucian tell me? Why didn't you, Edoril, or you, Lena? Or perhaps anyone else who knew about it? Why?" Norivana placed a hand to her forehead, taking a deep breath and then letting out a sigh. "You know," she began, cocking her head disdainfully with her brow set, "I want to call this place my home, and I wish I could, but if you all aren't going to give me the respect you would one of your own, I don't know why I waste my time."

With that, along with surprised looks from Edoril, Lena, and a few druids who'd heard the commotion and wandered over, Norivana stormed back inside and up to her room. She yanked out a decently-sized backpack and began stuffing random articles of clothing in it, not even paying enough attention to realize that she'd packed six shirts and no pants, along with mismatched socks and a single shirt of Lucian's that had somehow ended up in her closet. She jammed the flap down, cinching it, then stormed back downstairs, her ears burning with annoyance. A few elves on the ramp gave her curious looks while she stormed down the ramp, but she was now beginning to doubt herself.

She reached the bottom of the ramp before she finally realized how stupid of a choice it'd be to actually leave. With nothing else to do, she ended up dropping the bag on the ground, sitting down next to it and burying her face in her hands. She wouldn't cry; that was weak, and Lucian didn't deserve the luxury of her worry, not with what he'd done. Her anger bubbled up in her chest, neck and ears, pounding in her head as she just sat there, motionless, not allowing herself to throw a fit or anything else expected of a woman scorned.

Minutes passed.

She thought she heard footsteps around her, but she refused to move, keeping her head held firmly in her hands and staring at the ground between her feet. Her head was still pounding, blurring her vision. She refused to let her anger consume her, so she waited it out, breathing slowly and willing herself to calm. She was being irrational, even with what had happened. Getting angry was pointless, just like Edoril had said. (Though she'd never admit to him that he was correct, not right now at least.)

More time passed. She was fairly sure she'd sat there at least half an hour, possibly twice that, if her brain had really gone as foggy as she thought it had. By the time she finally raised her head, she'd managed to mellow out and was now merely peeved at the man.

_Well,_ she thought to herself,_ I've got a month to sort out what I'm going to say to him when he gets back._

Grudgingly, she picked up her backpack and shuffled back up the ramp to her room. Once in there, she began returning the clothes to their rightful places, folding the shirts back up, and when she got to Lucian's shirt, now in the privacy of her own room, she finally broke. Teetering over to her bed, she sat down on the edge, slumped her shoulders, and held the shirt in her lap. She began crying, quietly and subtly as she absentmindedly thumbed one of the buttons on the cuffs. Snowball, who'd grown a fair amount, mewed and approached Norivana, purring and bumping her head against Norivana's arm, then crawled into her lap and began kneading her paws against Norivana's leg.

Norivana petted the kitten while she sniffled to herself, unable to get her worries out of her head. What if he wasn't okay? She thought to herself. What if the spell somehow screwed itself up and... What if he didn't make it?

That thought only made her start crying harder. Why _hadn't_ he told her about it? Did he not trust her? Then again, she sort of understood why. She knew for a fact that she'd be one hundred percent against him attempting the spell. She'd fight him every step of the way, but for good reason! His tendencies could practically be categorized as suicidal!

Feeling exceptionally helpless, Norivana finally came to the decision that she would not focus on Lucian, not for the remainder of this month. If his name popped up in her mind, she'd bury it, and focus on something else. Feeling the need for something to do, she decided to go practice on the dummies. She needed something to get her mind off of things, off of the fact that the man she loved had possibly signed his death sentence.

She strapped her belt to her waist, weapons' sheaths and all, and went off to beat the ever-living hell out of an unfortunate burlap combat dummy.

* * *

A week later, Norivana had just returned from the bathing pools and was grabbing a bite to eat for supper when she heard a curious conversation coming from outside the locker she was in. Drawn to the voices, Norivana managed to peek out the door, but was unable to see whoever was speaking, because they seemed to be around the corner.

An unfamiliar male voice came into earshot. He was stuttering, not managing to finish a complete sentence. "Well, we wouldn't - er - I guess... I mean, well, I just thought..."

He was cut off by a somewhat crass-sounding woman. "Awww," the woman's voice sounded disgustingly condescending, "Is widdle Glenn trying to ask a lady out? How cute!"

The man cleared his throat, "No! Er, of course not, I mean, why would I..-"

His words were interrupted by a loud, obnoxious laugh, accompanied by two more, and then Norivana saw three elf women strut past, walking on through the orchard and back to the main tree. Norivana, holding a partially-eaten apple in one hand, silently stepped out of the food locker and closed the padlock behind her, then peeked around the corner.

Leaning against the wall was a young man, couldn't be past his low twenties, leaning his back against the walls with his head in his hands. Norivana stood motionless for a moment, unsure of whether she should approach him or not. She heard him muttering and managed to catch the words "stupid" and "dork".

Yeah, she decided, he needed some company.

Tentatively, she approached him. "Um," she began quietly as she stepped a little closer, though still gave him some space. Immediately, his head whipped up and he looked at her. His face was young, with no facial hair and a look of innocence that was nearly impossible to encounter these days.

He cleared his throat, eyes widening, and straightened up. He wasn't that much taller than her, and he didn't have even remotely as much muscle mass as the usual men of his race. He was lanky, with big feet and hands and eyes, and his verdant green hair was shorter, crimped, coiled, and wild. Upon his nose rested a simple pair of spectacles, which he had to constantly readjust on the straight bridge his nose.

"Hi," he said simply, glancing to the sides for a moment as if looking for an escape route. It was evident that he had some form of social anxiety.

Norivana gave him a genuine smile. "Hey." A silent, almost awkward moment passed, and Norivana did her best to recover. "So," she began, "I uh..." she quickly brainstormed ideas to get his mind off of his rejection, then finally an idea popped into her head. "I was going to grab some firewood for the campfires. Do you think you could help me? I could really use an extra pair of hands."

His face lit up, "Oh! Sure!" he exclaimed, straightening his glasses again before taking off into the woods. A little thrown-off by his enthusiasm, Norivana had to jog to catch up with him.

"I don't think I've ever seen you here before," Norivana commented as she tried to keep up with the man's stride.

He slowed a bit, glancing toward her before quickly looking away again, "Uh, yeah," he said, shrugging his lanky shoulders, "I don't get out much."

"Well, my name's Norivana," she said with a smile, and he nodded knowingly, as if he already knew that was her name. Actually, in this tribe, he probably did. She continued. "What do I call you?"

"Uhh," he repeated, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "Glennolan," he replied, "But everyone sorta calls me Glenn."

"What do you want to be called?" Norivana asked as she stooped to pick up a good-sized log.

Glenn eyed her sideways through his lenses, surprised by her question. He cleared his throat, "Glenn's fine, really."

"Glenn it is," Norivana smiled lightly, picking up another log. Another pregnant pause, and Norivana finally spoke up again to break the silence, "So, Glenn, how are you enjoying Stormwind?"

"Huh?" he said, jerking his head over as if her voice surprised him, then interrupted himself, "Oh! Uh, yeah! It's great! Lots of... Opportunity." He smiled, nudging the bridge of his glasses back toward his face before stooping to pick up another log and add it to the pile in his arms.

"So..." Norivana began, pausing to look at him, "Don't take this the wrong way, but, you're not like the other elves here, you know that?"

Glenn shrugged, smiling widely, "Yeah," he said sheepishly, "I get that sometimes."

"What do you like to do in your spare time?" She asked him, genuinely intrigued. He obviously wasn't a hunter, a worker, or a farmer, so what _did_ he do?

"Eh," he shrugged, "Nothing interesting. Stupid stuff, really."

Norivana stopped what she was doing and looked straight at him, "Hey," she said, "It isn't stupid if it's what you enjoy."

He gave her a feeble smile and finally, after a moment, spoke. "Engineering," he said, "I make stuff."

Norivana raised her brows. Night Elves rarely _ever_ worked in that field. Well... _Normal_ Night Elves, at least. Lucian's tribe was far from normal. She spoke up, "That's actually really cool!"

He shrugged awkwardly and smiled feebly again. Norivana got the impression that this was one of the longest conversations he'd had with someone in a long time, seeing how little he spoke and how it seemed almost like he was breaking a sweat just trying to come up with the right words to reply with.

"You know," Norivana began as she grabbed one more branch, her arms now very full and heavy, "I'd love to see your work sometime. Engineering isn't an easy job, but it's intriguing nonetheless." This man probably almost never had company - or actual interaction with another person, for that matter, and Norivana hated loneliness.

Glenn, who leaned down to pick up one more log as well, glanced up at her as his spectacles slipped down his nose, and he smiled back. "Y-yeah," he stuttered, standing back up and falling into step, "Sure. If you want to."

Norivana beamed. "Awesome!"

Glenn eyed her sideways for a moment as they walked, then spoke up. "I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries or anything, but I... Never would have expected you to acknowledge my existence, let alone talk to me.

Caught by surprise, Norivana almost stopped in her tracks, but she recovered before her expression was too obvious. "What? Why?" she questioned, fully confused.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly..." Glenn trailed off, trying to choose the correct words. "I'm not... Uh... People don't talk to me." He said as they reached the campfires.

"I don't know why not," Norivana replied, shrugging. "I personally think you're a pretty cool guy."

With a shy laugh, he began placing the logs and branches in a stack apart from the pits, and Norivana saw how he silently noted the large stack of logs that was there already. She hadn't thought that far into her plan, and she internally scolded herself as she saw a smirk form at the corners of the elf's mouth when he realized that her asking him to collect logs wasn't _solely_ out of need for firewood.

"Think that's enough firewood?" Glenn asked as he patted his hands against his thick pants, brushing the dirt and dust from his palms.

"Definitely," Norivana replied, smirking.

Glenn chuckled quietly, then glanced to the sides for a moment before speaking. "Well, I um... I should probably get back to work, or... Or something."

"Sure," Norivana nodded with a smile, "Don't let me keep you, then."

He returned with his own short-lived, somewhat sheepish smile before quickly turning on his heel and making his way back to the tall tree. Suddenly, however, he stopped and turned back, speaking up.

"I'm free tomorrow, if you want to swing by," he said, shrugging, "I'll be on the second floor."

Norivana grinned and waved back, "Sounds great, Glenn!"

He gave her a lanky thumbs-up and a grin and then turned back toward the tree, running a hand through his wild hair as he quickly retreated.

When he was out of sight, Norivana laughed to herself. What a character... He seemed like a sweet guy, if a bit shy. If she could get him to open up, to be himself, she was positive he'd be one of the most interesting people she knew. Not only that, but she was itching for a friend.

She took a bite of her apple, which she'd left on a post beside the food lockers, and headed back to her room to get some rest.

* * *

"Aha! Now I've got you," Glenn exlaimed, grinning widely, leaning over and staring into the cabin of a tiny model train car while holding a pair of forceps in one hand. He carefully reached the pointed metal tweezers into the train car and fiddled with a few wires, peering through his magnifying lenses while he worked.

Norivana, who was sitting across the room, drinking from a generously-filled flask, and messing with a stray wire that had found its way onto the floor, glanced up at Glenn and began chuckling to herself. If there was one thing she could pride herself in, it would be her ability to predict and read people. Not only had Glenn proven to be a good guy, but he was quickly becoming one of her new favorite people. She'd been hanging out with him for two weeks now, and she'd gotten to the point of where she preferred to hang out in his workshop while he worked rather than practicing against her combat dummies.

Although Glenn may have initially seemed a bit goofy and awkward, especially when he was out in public, he was the exact opposite once he became comfortable with Norivana's company. He was brilliant and sweet, if a bit distant at times, and so far he'd served as the perfect distraction for Norivana, plus she'd gained a fantastic new friend. Somehow, the two of them had almost instantly clicked, and since then they'd been nearly inseparable. Not only that, but his engineering abilities surpassed anything Norivana had ever seen.

Currently, he was working on a model train. Now, that may seem like a mundane activity to focus on when, as an engineer, there are so many more possibilities. But in this case, it was no ordinary model train. He had somehow managed to develop a way for each car to have tiny, itty bitty passengers, who would (he hoped) be able to move about the cabins, sit in their seats, and look as if they were interacting with each other. He'd made each one by hand out of gears and settings almost too small for his tools, and as if that wasn't enough, he had painted them to look even more realistic.

Norivana's favorite passengers were the tiny gnomes, which were about the size of her pinky fingernail. They were hands-down the most adorable thing she'd seen in a _really_ long time. The ones with pink hair were her favorites; she'd always thought pink hair was one of the coolest phenomena, and that gnomes were lucky because they had a much higher possibility of inheriting it.

She set the wire down, waltzing over almost flamboyantly (probably due to her moderate level of intoxication) to where Glenn was working, and she inspected his progress. He'd gotten an exceptional amount of work done since the day she first came over. That day had been an entertaining one, and it had definitely helped to break the ice a little.

The first time she visited him, it had begun raining heavily, a perfect 'stay-inside' type of day. When he'd answered his door, his nose had been smudged with mechanical oil, and he wore a pair of magnifying goggles that made his eyes look gigantic, not to mention his hair was even more crazy and curly than it'd been the day before. The sight had been so entertaining that Norivana had unintentionally begun grinning. He invited her in, and she had been so distracted by his appearance that she hadn't paid enough attention to the floor, which also had a good amount of grease splattered across it. Within seconds of walking in the door, she slipped, then fell onto the floor and began giggling uncontrollably. When Glenn, who was doing his best not to laugh at her out of sheer politeness, offered her a hand, she took it, attempted to stand, then slipped again, falling right back down on her butt with her legs sprawled out in front of her. That had been her breaking point, and her giggle turned into a full-on laugh, leaving her sitting sprawled in the middle of the floor and laughing so hard tears almost fell from her eyes. Glenn began laughing then, and from that point on, he'd acted a lot more comfortable around her.

But anyway, as far as the train went, he was doing an impressive job of it. He'd managed to sketch it out, build the cars, the track, and the wiring within two weeks. Now, all he had left was to install the tiny little people into each car, and by the looks of things, that too was going well. He was a natural at this.

Norivana leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands, watching his work in silence while he tensed his brows in rapt focus, silvery-gold eyes studying the tiny objects intensely. How in the world he was able to work with such small tools and gears, Norivana had no idea, but he did it, and he did it well.

He spoke up, not breaking his own focus but pulling her out of her own. "So," he began simply, "Mr. Silverpaw is going to be awake in a week."

Norivana practically flinched at Lucian's name, and the ache she felt at his absence pulled at her, causing her breath to leave her lungs. A few quiet seconds passed, and Glenn paused what he was doing, glancing hesitantly at Norivana right as she spoke up. "Yeah," she finally managed to say, clearing her throat.

She'd managed to go three weeks without him crossing her mind more than two times, at best, but now she realized that'd been a bad idea. She missed him desperately, not to mention she worried nonstop as to whether he'd turn out okay. She worried that the revival spell wouldn't work, that maybe his brain would be a vegetable because maybe something with the spell had gone wrong, or maybe the revival spell _would_ work, but he was dead so it'd be useless, etc. Her mind was bringing up the worst-case scenarios and replaying them in her head, over and over until she started to convince herself that they were real, that she'd never see her Lucian again.

Being so close to someone for half a year, practically attached at the hip, and then suddenly not seeing them for a full month, well, it can mess a person up.

The green-haired engineer set his tools down as he studied her expression. "Sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have mentioned him."

"It's okay," Norivana reassured, sighing and straightening up.

"I know you two are... Close," Glenn said as he returned to his work, then paused a moment, tapping a thumb against the edge of the table erratically before he spoke. "Norivana, I hope this isn't too out-of-line, but may I ask you something?"

"Sure," Norivana smirked, wondering what in the world could follow a lead-up like that.

"If he cares about you so much, why did he just up and leave?" He cleared his throat, speaking with sincerity and what sounded almost like longing, "Why would anyone... Leave... You?"

"Glenn," she sighed, "I've been wondering why he left for three weeks."

He glanced over and gave her a sympathetic look, which looked somewhat comical through his magnifying lens glasses. "Well," he murmured, glancing back at his model train, "If you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm always available."

"I know, Glenn," Norivana said with a smile, "You've been exactly what I've needed these past few weeks."

He returned her smile, though his eyes looked strained before he went back to working on his project in silence. Norivana resumed her fiddling with the stray wire in her hands as her mind wandered. The good thing about Glenn, a trait both he and Lucian had in common, was that he never felt the need to fill empty silence with words; he recognized that sometimes not speaking is okay, and that you can be in the same room as someone and not require your time with them to be filled with verbal interaction.

Norivana spent almost the rest of her day hanging out in his workshop, watching him work, chatting with him, and messing with pretty much anything she could get her hands on. Occasionally she'd touch something she wasn't supposed to, and to the side, as he worked, Glenn would let out a "Ah-ah-ah-!" warning, and she'd stop whatever she was doing and set down whatever was in her hands. For the most part, that seemed to work well in his favor, so that became the drill.

When the time came for her to leave that night, Norivana yawned widely, glancing out the windows and realizing it was dark out. She felt a little guilty because she hadn't gone to the combat dummies that day, but ended up convincing herself that one day wouldn't hurt anyone. She walked over to Glenn, who was still stationed at his workbench and was leaning over a tiny train car, inspecting it intently.

Right before Norivana managed to say anything, Glenn's voice drifted to her ears in a hum. "Mmm?" he said expectantly, still not looking up. "Need something?"

"I'm gonna go to bed," Norivana said, smiling, "Just wanted to say goodnight."

He glanced up at her, his wild grass-green curls almost bouncing with the motion of his head. He stood, scooting his chair back behind him and walking her over to the door. "Night Norivana," he said with a smile, peering at her through his high-intensity spectacles that made his eyes look gigantic. "Thanks for hanging out here with me today. I'd be lonely without ya." He leaned against the door frame, smirking.

"Thanks for letting me," Norivana replied, then on impulse stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug, which he - with a little surprised hesitation - returned. "You're a good friend, Glenn," she said.

His long, lanky arms tightened their grip, and they both stood there for a second, just hugging. Norivana, at this moment, realized how much she had begun to crave the feel of another person's (specifically a man's) arms around her, and she too leaned into the hug. Suddenly, though, she came to her senses and quickly pulled away and gave him a short smile, then took off toward her room without further conversation.

She scolded herself as she reached her door, kicking her shoes off to the side and stripping into her nightclothes almost violently. By Elune, what was wrong with her? That was just a hug, right? That was all they were doing: a friendly hug. So why did she feel so incredibly guilty all of a sudden? Glenn was just her friend. Both of them knew her feelings for Lucian, that no one could possibly replace him, in any way, at all. Ever.

Then again, she reasoned, why was it that _she_ had to feel guilty while _he_ had gone behind her back and deserted her for a month? Maybe she did have the right to open her options, even if they weren't actually legitimate. Even if it was just a friendly hug, Lucian didn't have to believe that was all it was...

Tossing her dirty clothes toward her hamper, she stormed over to her bed and flopped down, fuming for no reason at all other than that her thoughts were going haywire. She didn't have feelings for Glenn, she just liked him a lot... As a friend. That was it. Only issue with that, though, was that she now had nothing to base her guilt off of. Why did she feel guilty? She'd done nothing wrong!

She rolled over, smashing her face against a fluffy pillow and forcing herself to fall asleep.

* * *

Six days later, and it was the night before Lena was set to revive Norivana's man in the wood. Norivana had nearly gone entirely out of her mind; even Glenn himself told her that she needed to calm down, to relax, when she'd gone to visit him.

Why was she so on edge? The same reason that this past month had been four straight weeks of stress: Lucian. With each day nearing his revival, Norivana would worry more. She'd worry about his safety, whether he would be okay, or if he was even _alive_. And when she worried, she'd usually become restless, and when she became restless, she preferred to beat the hell out of combat dummies. So, for the past few days, she'd gone through nearly three whole dummies with just her knives and her attitude.

And now, she had one day. One day before she discovered that he was either okay, or that he wasn't.

She'd gotten entirely past the whole 'being pissed at him' thing. At least, she had for now. All she wanted right now was for him to wake up. That was it. For him to be breathing, and for his brain to be functioning. He'd told her of the dangers of that spell, and she couldn't bear to think of anything happening to him. Although the woman wasn't much to dwell on what _could_ happen, she couldn't help herself now. She both longed for and dreaded what tomorrow could bring. As she got ready for bed, she repeated those thoughts, unable to expel the worry building up each time he crossed her mind.

With one final thought, which was more of a prayer, she crawled into her bed, repeating the words over and over: "Lucian, you sure as hell had better be okay, or I'll kill you myself."

* * *

**Next chapter(s): Lucian's back with interesting news, then they're off to Northwatch Hold, and finally battle prep time. Wewt!**


End file.
